UK deports 44 Nigerians, Ghanaians amid tougher immigration policies

The United Kingdom government has deported 44 Nigerians and Ghanaians on a single flight, marking a significant surge in its immigration enforcement efforts.

The deportees were flown back to their respective countries on Friday, October 18, according to The Guardian.

Recent figures show that such joint deportation flights to Nigeria and Ghana have been rare.

Records obtained under freedom of information laws reveal that only four similar flights have been conducted since 2020, with previous flights removing smaller numbers: six, seven, 16, and 21 people, respectively. The latest flight, however, more than doubled the previous highest count.

A spokesperson from the UK Home Office confirmed that immigration enforcement has intensified under the current administration.

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“We have initiated a significant increase in enforcement and returns activities to remove individuals without legal status and ensure immigration rules are upheld. Over 3,600 people have already been returned in the first two months of this government,” the spokesperson said.

Policy Shift Amid UK-Mauritius Chagos Islands Agreement
The deportation coincides with evolving UK immigration policies and a historic agreement between the UK and Mauritius over the sovereignty of the Chagos Islands. This agreement, still awaiting formal ratification, aims to return the islands to Mauritius while ensuring the continuation of a U.S. military base on Diego Garcia, one of the islands.

Until the treaty is finalized, asylum seekers arriving at Diego Garcia will be relocated to Saint Helena, a remote British Overseas Territory in the Atlantic Ocean. This relocation policy is seen as part of broader efforts to manage asylum cases and deportations, reflecting a shift in UK immigration strategies.

Deportees Speak Out Against Treatment
Several deportees held at Brook House Immigration Removal Centre near Gatwick Airport shared their experiences with The Guardian prior to their flight.

One detainee revealed his trauma after witnessing a fellow inmate attempt suicide, while another expressed frustration over the rejection of his asylum application after 15 years of living in the UK without a criminal record. Others spoke of their futile attempts to access legal representation and the rejection of asylum claims despite being victims of trafficking and torture.

Fizza Qureshi, Chief Executive of Migrants’ Rights Network, criticized the deportation process, describing it as inhumane.

“We are shocked by the cruelty of these deportations—especially the speed and secrecy involved, as well as the lack of access to legal support,” Qureshi said. She added, “The Home Office is playing politics with people’s lives. Many of these individuals have committed no crime; they were simply seeking refuge.”

This wave of deportations highlights the UK’s increasingly strict immigration policies and the challenges faced by migrants seeking safety and legal protection in the country.