The U.S. government has launched legal actions to strip Nigerian-born George Oyakhire and Adeyeye Ariyo Akambi of their American citizenship over allegations of identity fraud, as part of a broader immigration crackdown under President Donald Trump’s administration. The Department of Justice (DoJ) announced on Friday that it has initiated denaturalisation proceedings against 13 foreign-born U.S. citizens, including Oyakhire and Akambi, for serious violations such as fraud, war crimes, sexual abuse, and terrorism-related activities. These actions are being pursued in federal district courts across the country, marking a significant step in enforcing immigration laws and ensuring the integrity of the naturalisation process.
George Oyakhire, 66, first entered the United States on October 18, 1986, under his real name, George Ofuan Oyakhire. However, the DoJ alleges he later used a false identity — “Oliver Bennett Oyakhire” — along with a fabricated birth date to secure temporary resident status on September 2, 1988. He was granted permanent residency on December 1, 1990, and subsequently applied for naturalisation under the same false name. His application was approved on March 22, 1996, and he officially became a U.S. citizen on April 22, 1996, under the alias Oliver Bennett Oyakhire.
Adeyeye Ariyo Akambi, 65, was deported from the U.S. in 2000 but later re-entered using a different identity. He obtained permanent residency and was naturalised without disclosing his prior deportation. The DoJ claims he concealed this critical fact, making his citizenship invalid under U.S. law. The government is seeking to revoke his certificate of naturalisation due to this misrepresentation.
Other individuals targeted include Iraqi-born Ali Yousif Ahmed Al-Nouri, accused of fraudulently obtaining citizenship; Colombian Oscar Alberto Pelaez, charged with multiple counts of sexual abuse; and Moroccan Khalid Ouazzani, accused of false testimony during his naturalisation. Somali-born Salah Osman Ahmed is under scrutiny for allegedly supporting terrorism, while Gambian Baboucarr Mboob is accused of hiding war crimes involvement. The list also includes Bolivian Kevin Robin Suarez, Uzbekistani Abduvosit Razikov, Kenyan Abdallah Osman Sheikh, Indian Debashis Ghosh, Chinese Pin He, and Colombian Victor Manuel Rocha, who admitted to espionage for Cuba before becoming a citizen in 1978.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche stated that individuals involved in fraud, sexual abuse, or terrorism should never have been granted U.S. citizenship. He emphasized that the Trump administration is committed to correcting these violations and holding offenders accountable. Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate described the cases as “disturbing” and reiterated the DoJ’s dedication to revoking citizenship obtained through deceit.
Under the Immigration and Nationality Act, citizenship can be revoked if it was obtained through fraud, concealment of material facts, or willful misrepresentation. The New York Times previously reported that the DoJ had identified 384 foreign-born U.S. citizens for potential denaturalisation, highlighting the scale of the ongoing effort. These actions signal a firm stance on immigration integrity and may influence future naturalisation policies and enforcement practices in the United States.
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