The UK government has deported 44 Nigerians and Ghanaians on a single flight, representing the largest deportation of individuals confirmed by the Home Office on Friday.
This action is part of a broader initiative by the UK government to ramp up immigration enforcement, with approximately 3,600 individuals repatriated to various countries since the Labour government took office in July.
Among those deported are around 200 individuals sent back to Brazil and 46 to Vietnam and Timor Leste. Regular repatriation flights continue to Albania, Lithuania, and Romania as well.
Deportation flights to Nigeria and Ghana have been relatively rare, with only four flights recorded since 2020, each carrying significantly fewer deportees. The latest flight had more than double the number of deportees compared to previous operations.
These intensified enforcement measures come amid reports that asylum seekers arriving at Diego Garcia may be relocated to Saint Helena, a remote British territory in the Atlantic, pending the UK’s finalization of the return of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius.
Among the deportees was a Nigerian man who attempted suicide while detained at Brook House immigration removal center near Gatwick. His cellmate described the experience as “very traumatizing.”
Another deportee stated, “I have been an asylum seeker in the UK for 15 years with no criminal record, yet the Home Office has denied my claim.”
Fizza Qureshi, CEO of the Migrants’ Rights Network, expressed serious concern after communicating with several individuals on the Nigeria/Ghana deportation flight before their departure.
“We are appalled by the cruelty of these deportations, especially the speed, secrecy, and lack of access to legal support. One detainee told us before boarding, ‘The Home Office is playing politics with people’s lives. We have done nothing wrong but seek help.'”
In response, a Home Office spokesperson stated, “We have already initiated a significant increase in immigration enforcement and returns to ensure compliance with the law, with over 3,600 removals conducted in the first two months of the new government.”
