British government deports 41 Nigerians, others over immigration issues

The British government yesterday deported 41 Nigerians and some Ghanaians over immigration issues classified as offences in the English laws.The Nigerian deportees, 33 males and eight females, arrived the cargo section of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos at 7:55am, in an unmarked chartered Airbus 330 aircraft.

The Guardian learnt that the deportees have been kept in custody by the British government since October 2015 over issues that are not unconnected with illegal entry papers, family problems and expired stay, among others.

While their Ghanaian counterparts were first dropped off at the Kotoka International Airport in Accra, Ghana, some of the Nigerians came with multiple luggages. Few others had small packages on them after due profiling by the receiving Immigration officers and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).

The Director General of NEMA, represented by the Deputy Director, Search and Rescue, Dr. Bandele Onimole, said the Federal Government had been in touch with its British counterpart, towards reuniting the deportees with their families in Nigeria.

Onimole, however, emphasised that the returnees were not prisoners, but deported for violating immigration laws. According to Onimole, “The reason, according to British High Commission, is that they are being brought back for immigration offences, and as a responsible government we cannot allow our citizens to enter into the country and start finding their way.

While the immigration officials had them profiled, NEMA offered them stipends for feeding and transportation to their various communities within the country.