*The UK Home Office says the country has begun delivering 鈥榓 major surge鈥� in immigration enforcement and returns activity to remove people with no right to be in the foreign country, and ensure the rules are respected and enforced, with over 3,600 returned in the first two months of the new government since July 2024

Alexander Davis | 绿帽献妻

In a new wave of deportation that some have described as a 鈥渕ajor purge鈥�, about 44 Nigerians and Ghanaians Friday, October 18, 2024, were deported to their home countries in a single flight, according to the UK Home Office.

The Home Office said that the Nigeria and Ghana deportations were part of the immigration enforcement and returns, report said.

Since Labour came to power July 3, 2024, it is noted that 600 people have been returned to various countries, including about 200 to Brazil and 46 on a flight to Vietnam and Timor Leste.

There are also regular deportation flights to Albania, Lithuania and Romania.

Deportation flights to Nigeria and Ghana are relatively rare, with just four recorded since 2020, according to data released under freedom of information rules, The Guardian UK report said.

The previous flights had far fewer people onboard, with six, seven, 16 and 21 respectively. Friday鈥檚 flight had more than double that number removed on a single flight.

The deportation came as news emerged that any asylum seekers who arrive in Diego Garcia before a treaty between the UK and Mauritius to hand back the Chagos Islands is finalised will be sent to Saint Helena, a British territory in the Atlantic Ocean, described as one of the most remote places on Earth.

One of four Nigerians, while they were held at Brook House immigration removal centre near Gatwick before their deportation, reportedly attempted to kill himself because of the ordeal.

His cellmate, who witnessed the attempt, said he was 鈥渧ery traumatised鈥� by what he had seen, report said.

A second man said: 鈥淚鈥檝e been in the UK for 15 years as an asylum seeker. I have no criminal record but the Home Office has refused my claim.鈥�

A third man said he had been groomed into exploitation as a child and had torture scars on his body.

鈥淚 told the Home Office I was a victim of trafficking. They rejected my claim.鈥�

A fourth said he had desperately searched for a solicitor to challenge his removal directions, but had been unable to find anyone to represent him.

Fizza Qureshi, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Migrants鈥� Rights Network, who was in contact with some of the people on the Nigeria/Ghana deportation flight before they left the UK, said: 鈥淲e are extremely shocked at the cruelty of these deportations, especially with the speed, secrecy and the lack of access to legal support.

In the words of one detainee we spoke to before he was put on the flight: 鈥淭he Home Office is playing politics with people鈥檚 lives. We have not done anything wrong other than cry for help.鈥�

Commenting on the country鈥檚 decision to deport the immigrants, a Home Office spokesperson was quoted to have said: 鈥淲e have already begun delivering a major surge in immigration enforcement and returns activity to remove people with no right to be in the UK and ensure the rules are respected and enforced, with over 3,600 returned in the first two months of the new government.鈥�

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