The UK Home Office has confirmed that a record number of Nigerians and Ghanaians were deported on a single flight on Friday, October 18. A total of 44 individuals were forcibly removed from the country, marking a significant increase in immigration enforcement and returns since the Labour government took power in July.
According to the Guardian, the Nigeria and Ghana deportations are part of a broader effort to reduce immigration levels. Since July, over 3,600 people have been deported to various countries, including Brazil, Vietnam, Timor Leste, Albania, Lithuania, and Romania.
Deportation flights to Nigeria and Ghana are relatively uncommon, with only four recorded since 2020. The previous flights had significantly fewer people on board, with Friday’s flight being the largest by a considerable margin.
The deportations come amid news that asylum seekers arriving in Diego Garcia before the finalization of a treaty with Mauritius will be sent to Saint Helena, a remote British territory in the Atlantic Ocean.
Several Nigerians detained at Brook House immigration removal centre before their deportation have shared their experiences. One individual attempted suicide, while others described feeling traumatized and unfairly treated by the Home Office.
Fizza Qureshi, CEO of the Migrants’ Rights Network, criticized the speed, secrecy, and lack of legal support surrounding the deportations. She quoted one detainee who said, “The Home Office is playing politics with people’s lives.”
A Home Office spokesperson defended the deportations, stating that they are part of a broader effort to enforce immigration rules and remove those who have no right to be in the UK.
