The United Kingdom has deported 44 Nigerian and Ghanaian asylum seekers, marking the highest number of deportations on a single flight, as reported by the UK Guardian.
This mass deportation occurred just 48 hours after UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer signed a contentious agreement to deport migrants arriving via small boats to the Chagos Islands, specifically relocating them to St Helena, a British territory over 5,000 miles away in the Atlantic Ocean.
The UK Home Office confirmed on Friday that the deportations are part of a “major surge” in immigration enforcement and deportations.
Since Starmer assumed office in July, a total of 3,600 individuals have been deported to various countries, including 200 to Brazil and 46 to Vietnam and Timor-Leste. Regular deportation flights have also been targeting Albania, Lithuania, and Romania.
Deportations to Nigeria and Ghana, however, have been relatively uncommon, with only four recorded since 2020. The last deportation to Nigeria took place in June, when 13 Nigerians were flown to Lagos.
One Nigerian deportee from this latest flight claimed to be a victim of human trafficking, but his application was rejected by the Home Office. “I told the Home Office I was a victim of trafficking. They rejected my claim,” he said. Another deportee, who had lived in the UK for 15 years without a criminal record, also saw his asylum claim denied.
In August, Nigeria reportedly signed a deportation agreement with the UK, enabling the return of illegal immigrants. This development followed setbacks to the UK’s previous asylum deal with Rwanda.