UK Deports Dozens Of Nigerians

 

The British government has deported 44 Nigerians and Ghanaians in a single flight, returning them to their home countries.

According to The Guardian, the deportation took place on Friday, 18 October.

While deportation flights to Nigeria and Ghana are relatively uncommon, the report noted that since 2020, there have only been four such flights. Each of these previous flights carried six, seven, 16, and 21 deportees, respectively. However, Friday’s flight saw more than double the number of deportees compared to any of the previous ones.

A spokesperson for the Home Office confirmed an increase in immigration enforcement, stating, “We have already begun delivering a major surge in immigration enforcement and returns activity to remove people with no right to be in the UK and ensure the rules are respected and enforced, with over 3,600 returned in the first two months of the new government.”

This wave of deportations comes amid significant shifts in the UK’s immigration policy, particularly concerning asylum seekers. Recently, the British government made strides in a long-standing issue, striking an agreement to eventually transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands, a remote archipelago in the Indian Ocean, to Mauritius. Although a final treaty is still pending, both parties are committed to completing it as quickly as possible.

As part of this agreement, the UK and Mauritius declared that the Chagos Islands would be returned to Mauritius, though the United States would continue to operate its military base there for many years to come. A key aspect of the deal involves managing asylum seekers who may arrive in Diego Garcia, a British territory in the Indian Ocean. Until the treaty is finalized, asylum seekers arriving on Diego Garcia will be sent to Saint Helena, a British territory in the Atlantic Ocean, known for being one of the most isolated locations in the world.

The Chagos Islands treaty is expected to be signed next year, which may explain the latest deportations of Nigerian and Ghanaian citizens. Since 2021, a few hundred asylum seekers have arrived in Diego Garcia, a relatively small number compared to the tens of thousands crossing the Channel from northern France to the UK in recent years.

Subscribe
Notify of
guest
0 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x