The United Kingdom has deported 43 individuals to Nigeria and Ghana for immigration violations, including failed asylum claims and completed criminal sentences, according to a joint statement by the Home Office and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) released Friday.
The deportees included 15 failed asylum seekers and 11 foreign nationals who had served prison terms. An additional seven individuals reportedly returned to their home countries voluntarily. Authorities did not specify how many were sent to each nation or confirm the nationality breakdown.
Since Prime Minister Keir Starmer assumed office, the UK has conducted two deportation flights to Nigeria and Ghana, removing a total of 87 individuals. In October, a record 44 were deported in a single flight. This marks a strategic shift following the collapse of the UK-Rwanda migration deal, deemed unlawful by the UK Supreme Court in 2023.
The UK has since signed a deportation agreement with Nigeria aimed at returning undocumented migrants.
UK Border Security and Asylum Minister Angela Eagle praised the cooperation of the Nigerian and Ghanaian governments, calling the operation an example of effective international collaboration. The UK also reported a broader rise in deportations, with over 24,000 individuals removed in the past year—an 11% increase from the previous year.
Source: Swifteradio.com
