A record number of 44 Nigerians and Ghanaians were deported on a single flight, the UK Home Office confirmed.
This deportation is part of an intensified effort by the government to enforce immigration rules, with 3,600 people deported since the Labour government took office in July. Other deportations have included individuals from Brazil, Vietnam, and Albania.
This follows the news that asylum seekers who arrive on Diego Garcia before a treaty with Mauritius over the Chagos Islands is finalized will be relocated to the remote British territory of Saint Helena. However, the 60 Tamil asylum seekers, who have been detained on Diego Garcia since 2021 and have legally challenged their detention, will not be part of this relocation.
Deportations to Nigeria and Ghana have been rare, with only four flights since 2020, all of which carried fewer passengers than Friday’s flight.
Some of the Nigerians set for deportation reported traumatic experiences, with one man attempting suicide and others alleging mistreatment, including rejection of asylum claims based on trafficking and exploitation.
Migrants’ rights advocates have criticized the deportations, citing the lack of legal support and the emotional toll on those being removed.
Meanwhile, over 600 people crossed the English Channel in small boats on Friday, raising the total number of arrivals this year to more than 28,000. The crossings occurred a day after the tragic death of a baby off the French coast.
