Safe for Whom? A Human Security Perspective on Nigeria as a ‘Safe Country of Origin’

Abstract There has been a proliferation of readmission agreements and voluntary return programmes between the EU, its members and third countries, in which non-state actors play an increasing role. Based on the case of return to Nigeria, this article develops a discursive account of human security conditions in Nigeria to identify the changes and continuities over time in the diverse representations of what constitutes conditions suitable for a safe, dignified return. Our study shows that discourses in favour of return to Nigeria, despite nuances and shifts over time, have remained predominantly and persistently focused on economic, political, individual and community security and entirely overlook the growing challenges of food and environmental (in)security—hence failing to fully consider conditions constituting ‘safe return’ or nonrefoulement. Our findings challenge what is discursively constructed as ‘safe’ in return policies and practices and suggest that durable policy solutions require paying attention to multidimensional human security conditions.