The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) has initiated legal proceedings to strip three Nigerian nationals of their American citizenship as part of a sweeping denaturalisation campaign that the agency has described as the largest coordinated effort of its kind in recorded history.
Between 20 July and 3 August 2026, the DOJ filed denaturalisation actions in various US district courts against 25 individuals, with complaints covering offences ranging from attempted first-degree murder to aggravated sexual assault of a child. Among those named are three Nigerians, aged between 56 and 72, who are accused of obtaining citizenship through fraud, concealed identities, or wilful misrepresentation during naturalisation proceedings.
The Three Nigerians Facing Denaturalization
1. Jonathan Omorogieva Obasohan
Jonathan Omorogieva Obasohan, 56, faces a five-count complaint filed on 21 July in the District of Massachusetts. Prosecutors allege he entered the naturalisation process under a false identity, having previously been ordered deported under the name Tinosa Joe Aigbedion. He never disclosed that prior identity or the outstanding deportation order during his citizenship proceedings.
2. Yetunde Folake Olaniyi
Yetunde Folake Olaniyi, also 56, faces a seven-count civil complaint filed on 31 July in the District of Maryland. The DOJ alleges that after being ordered removed from the United States, she assumed the identity of Folake Rosemary Thomas and entered a sham marriage with an American citizen while still legally married to a Nigerian national. That fraudulent union formed the basis of her green card application and subsequent naturalisation. A 2014 federal conviction for passport fraud, which came after fingerprint checks exposed her real identity, features prominently in the complaint.
3. Vivian Chike Obichere
Vivian Chike Obichere, 72, faces a four-count action filed on 30 July in the Northern District of California. The DOJ says she made multiple false declarations during her 2013 naturalisation, including denying she had committed crimes for which she was not arrested and claiming she had only used one alias. She later pleaded guilty to false application and use of a passport, admitting she had applied for and used a passport bearing the name and personal details of another person who was a US citizen.
DOJ's Record-Breaking Denaturalization Push
Under the Immigration and Nationality Act, naturalised citizenship can be revoked where it was obtained illegally or through the concealment of material facts. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, commenting on the wider batch of filings, said: "US citizenship is one of our nation's highest privileges, and it must be obtained lawfully and honestly. The complaints announced today allege that these individuals secured naturalization through fraud, concealment, or other unlawful conduct — including by concealing violent crimes, sexual offences against children, fraudulent identities, and other disqualifying facts. Today's filings represent the largest coordinated denaturalization effort in Department history, but they are only the beginning."
Since 20 January 2025, the Justice Department has filed 123 civil denaturalization complaints in total, a figure described as the most in the department's recorded history. This latest action underscores the US government's intensified scrutiny of naturalised citizens who may have misrepresented their backgrounds.
Impact and Context
The denaturalisation of these individuals, if successful, would strip them of the rights and privileges of US citizenship, including the right to live and work in the country permanently. They could face deportation to Nigeria or other countries of origin. The cases highlight the legal consequences of fraud in the naturalisation process and serve as a warning to others who may have obtained citizenship through similar means.
In related news, the US government has also published a list of eight categories of people who qualify to apply for a permanent resident card, commonly known as a Green Card. Eligibility ranges from family ties to US citizenship and employment in specialised fields to refugee or asylum status and victims of abuse. This move is part of broader immigration enforcement and reform efforts under the current administration.
