UK Home Office Deports 44 Nigerians, Ghananains In Major Immigration Crackdown, Detainees Share Harrowing Stories
On the eve of Nigeria's President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu's return to the country last weekend after his annual working leave in the United Kingdom and France respectively, the UK Home Office has effected the deportation of no fewer than 44 Nigerians, Ghananains on a single flight.
By: Abdulwasiu Akintunde
As Nigerian Leader President Tinubu returns to the country after his annysl leave, the UK Home Office has confirmed the deportation of no fewer than 44 Nigerians and Ghanaians on a single flight as part of a heightened immigration enforcement effort.
OPEN TELEVISION NAIJA (OTN) News gathered that according to the "Guardian UK," the deportation was on Friday which marks one of the largest deportation operations to these countries in recent years.
The mass deportation aligns with the UK Government’s recent surge in immigration control measures. Since the Labour Party assumed power in July, approximately 3,600 individuals have been deported to various countries, including 200 to Brazil and 46 to Vietnam and Timor-Leste.
Regular deportation flights continue to Albania, Lithuania, and Romania, with flights to Nigeria and Ghana remaining infrequent. Only four such flights have taken place since 2020, each carrying significantly fewer individuals.
As these deportations unfolded, reports surfaced regarding the relocation of asylum seekers arriving in Diego Garcia to Saint Helena, a remote British territory in the Atlantic, under an emerging treaty between the UK and Mauritius.
Meanwhile, troubling accounts emerged from detainees at the Brook House immigration removal centre near Gatwick, who were awaiting deportation.
One Nigerian detainee attempted suicide, leaving his cellmate “traumatised” by the incident.
Another detainee, a 15-year UK resident with no criminal record, expressed frustration over the rejection of his asylum claim.
Other deportees shared harrowing experiences, including one man who revealed he was trafficked and had visible torture scars, yet his claim for protection was denied.
Another detainee said he struggled to secure legal representation in time to challenge his deportation order.
OTN News further gathered that the CEO of Migrants’ Rights Network, Fizza Qureshi, criticized the UK Government’s deportation practices, citing secrecy, speed, and the lack of legal support.
"The Home Office is playing politics with people’s lives," she quoted one detainee as saying. “We have done nothing wrong other than seek help.”
In response, a Home Office spokesperson stated, "We are delivering a major surge in immigration enforcement to remove people who have no legal right to remain in the UK."
"Over 3,600 individuals have already been returned under the new Government to ensure that immigration rul
es are respected and enforced.”
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