The United Kingdom has deported 43 persons to Nigeria and Ghana over immigration offences,including failed asylum applications and criminal convictions.
In a joint statement released by the Home Office and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office on Friday, UK authorities confirmed the removals but did not specify the exact date of deportations.
According to the statement, those deported included 15 failed asylum seekers and 11 foreign nationals who had completed prison sentences. An additional seven individuals reportedly returned to their home countries voluntarily.
“Those removed had no right to be in the UK and included 15 failed asylum seekers and 11 foreign national offenders who had served their sentences. Seven people returned voluntarily,” the statement noted.
However, the government did not clarify how many were sent to each country or confirm if all were nationals of Nigeria and Ghana.
Since Prime Minister Keir Starmer took office, the UK has organised two charter deportation flights to Nigeria and Ghana, removing a total of 87 people. In October, a record 44 individuals were deported in a single flight to both countries.
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This shift comes after the collapse of the controversial UK-Rwanda migration deal, which was ruled unlawful by the UK Supreme Court in 2023. The deal aimed to relocate asylum seekers to Rwanda for processing and resettlement.
In response, the UK reportedly signed a deportation agreement with Nigeria to facilitate the return of undocumented migrants.
Following the latest flight, UK Border Security and Asylum Minister Angela Eagle expressed gratitude to the Nigerian and Ghanaian governments for their cooperation, calling the operation an example of strong international collaboration.
The UK government also noted that over 24,000 individuals have been removed from the country over the past year — an 11% increase compared to the previous year.
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