United Kingdom (UK) government deported 43 people to Nigeria and Ghana on Friday. They included failed asylum seekers and convicted offenders.
Among those removed were 15 failed asylum seekers and 11 offenders who had completed their prison sentences. Seven individuals chose to leave the country voluntarily.
The flight was the second to Nigeria and Ghana since the last election, bringing the total number of deportees to 87. Officials said this reflected the growing partnership between the UK and both West African nations.
Since the current government took office, over 24,000 people have been deported — an 11% increase compared to the same period last year. Deportations of foreign national offenders have also risen by 16%, with 3,594 criminals removed from the UK.
The UK minister of 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.
“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.”
