Olusegun Ariyo
The United Kingdom has deported 43 Nigerians as part of its latest move to tighten immigration controls, according to a report published on the official government website, gov.uk, on Friday.
Among those deported were 15 failed asylum seekers and 11 foreign national offenders who had completed their prison sentences. Additionally, seven others voluntarily left the UK as part of the operation.
The deportation flight forms part of the government’s broader “Plan for Change”, aimed at restoring discipline within the immigration system by ensuring that those without the legal right to remain are swiftly removed.
This marks the second deportation flight to Nigeria and Ghana since the last general election, bringing the total number of deportees under the new administration to 87.
Officials highlighted the growing collaboration between the UK and Nigeria on migration management.
Since the current government took office, more than 24,000 persons have been deported — an 11 per cent increase compared to the same period last year. Deportations of foreign national offenders have also seen a 16 per cent rise, with 3,594 criminals removed.
Authorities stressed that all deportations are carried out “in a dignified and respectful manner.”
Speaking on the development, the UK Minister for Border Security and Asylum, Angela Eagle, said: “This flight demonstrates how international partnerships deliver on working people’s priorities for swift returns and secure borders.
“Through the Plan for Change, we’re going further in restoring order to a broken system, accelerating returns of those with no right to be here, and closing expensive asylum hotels.”
She also thanked the governments of Ghana and Nigeria for facilitating the deportations, describing it as a reflection of joint efforts to disrupt organised immigration crime and protect national borders.
Baroness Chapman of Darlington, the FCDO Minister responsible for Irregular Migration, added: “Working with other countries and partners around the world is critical to tackling irregular migration.
“I welcome our strong cooperation with Ghana and Nigeria to return those with no right to be in the UK, secure our borders, and deliver on the Plan for Change.”
This latest deportation follows the recent Organised Immigration Crime Summit, which gathered representatives from over 40 countries, including Nigeria and Ghana, to intensify the global fight against smuggling gangs and improve international migration management.
