The United Kingdom has deported several Nigerian and Ghanaian immigration offenders, as well as failed asylum seekers, in an ongoing effort to enhance international collaboration and restore order to the immigration system.
This was disclosed in a report published on the UK government’s official website.
According to the statement, a total of 43 individuals were removed on a charter flight. Those deported included 15 failed asylum seekers, 11 foreign national offenders who had served their sentences and 7 people who returned voluntarily.
“43 people returned to Nigeria and Ghana in an operation, part of a surge in returns activity to secure our border through the Plan for Change
“Those removed had no right to be in the UK and included 15 failed asylum seekers and 11 foreign national offenders who had served their sentences. 7 people returned voluntarily,” the statement read.
Nairametrics reported that Nigeria has recorded a total of 22,619 asylum applications to the UK between 2010 and 2024. In 2024, asylum claims saw a significant increase, rising by 94%, with 2,841 applications compared to 1,462 the previous year.
Deportation efforts
Minister for Border Security and Asylum, Angela Eagle, noted that the government’s Plan for Change is helping to fix the immigration system, speed up deportations, and reduce the reliance on expensive asylum hotels.
“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.
I thank the governments of Ghana and Nigeria for facilitating this operation, which reflects our joint commitment to disrupt organised immigration crime and protect our borders,” she noted
Baroness Chapman of Darlington, the FCDO Minister responsible for Irregular Migration, highlighted the importance of global cooperation in addressing irregular migration.
“Working with other countries and partners around the world is critical to tackling irregular migration – by working internationally, we will meet this global challenge together.
“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,” he noted.
Charter flights departed
The UK government noted that since the last general election in the United Kingdom, two chartered flights have been organized to return individuals with no legal right to remain in the country.
- These flights were specifically directed to Nigeria and Ghana, removing a combined total of 87 people.
- The individuals onboard included failed asylum seekers, foreign national offenders who had completed their prison sentences, and some who agreed to return voluntarily
- The report also highlighted that this operation follows the Organised Immigration Crime Summit, during which the UK brought together over 40 countries, including Nigeria and Ghana, to step up the global fight against smuggling gangs and further efforts to secure borders.
