UK deports 43 asylum seekers, foreign offenders to Nigeria, Ghana

The United Kingdom has deported 43 individuals, including failed asylum seekers and foreign offenders, to Nigeria and Ghana, according to a joint statement released on Friday by the UK Home Office and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).

Although the statement did not specify the exact date of the deportation flight, it confirmed that 15 failed asylum seekers and 11 foreign nationals who had completed their prison sentences were among those removed. An additional seven people returned voluntarily.

The breakdown of how many deportees were sent to Nigeria and Ghana was not provided, and it was unclear if all individuals were citizens of these two countries.

Since Prime Minister Keir Starmer assumed office last year, two charter flights have returned a total of 87 people to Nigeria and Ghana. In October 2024, the UK deported 44 Nigerians and Ghanaians in a single operation, the largest number so far on one flight.

ALSO READ: UK lawmakers burst into laughter as PM Starmer roasts Kemi Badenoch

The UK has shifted focus to Nigeria and Ghana after its controversial migration deal with Rwanda, signed in 2022, was declared unlawful by the UK Supreme Court in 2023. The plan had aimed to relocate asylum seekers to Rwanda for processing and resettlement.

Following the collapse of the Rwanda deal, Nigeria reportedly entered into a deportation agreement with the UK to accept returning nationals.

Angela Eagle, the UK’s Minister for Border Security and Asylum, expressed gratitude to both the Nigerian and Ghanaian governments for their cooperation in facilitating the latest deportation.

This operation reflects the strong partnership between the UK, Nigeria and Ghana in tackling illegal migration, the statement read.

The UK government also revealed that over 24,000 people have been deported in the past year, a figure that marks an 11 percent increase compared to the previous 12 months.

READ ALSO: Kemi Badenoch proposes 15 years wait for UK citizenship in strict immigration reform