UK government prepares to deport Nigerians pretending to be Gays to claim Asylum

• The UK government says asylum seekers who lied about their sexuality risk deportation.

• The move follows a BBC investigation exposing advisers coaching migrants to fake LGBTQ+ claims.

• Authorities say lawyers involved could face jail and asset seizure.

• Reports mention multiple nationalities, including Nigerians, but no official data singles them out.

The United Kingdom government has announced plans to deport asylum seekers found to have lied about their sexual orientation, following an investigation that exposed widespread fraud in the country’s asylum system.

According to UK officials, migrants who falsely claimed to be gay in order to secure protection status could face removal from the country, with Downing Street warning that those involved would be placed on a “one-way flight out of Britain.” 

The crackdown comes after a BBC undercover investigation revealed that some immigration advisers and unlicensed consultants were charging thousands of pounds to help migrants fabricate asylum claims. 

The investigation found that clients were allegedly coached to:

• Create false personal stories

• Provide fake documents and letters

• Stage photographs with supposed same-sex partners

Some were even trained on how to answer questions during Home Office interviews to make their claims more convincing. 

In response, the UK government said it would tighten enforcement, warning that both migrants and legal advisers involved in fraudulent claims could face serious consequences, including prosecution and deportation. 

While reports highlighted that migrants from Pakistan and Bangladesh recorded the highest number of such claims (with Pakistan accounting for roughly 42% in some datasets), officials noted that Nigeria, India, and Uganda were also among the top five countries involved. However, authorities are focusing on the broader abuse of the system rather than targeting one specific nationality.

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The UK asylum system allows individuals to seek protection if they face persecution in their home countries, including on the basis of sexual orientation. However, officials say fraudulent claims risk undermining the credibility of the system and diverting resources from those with legitimate cases.

For Nigerians and other migrants, the development signals tighter scrutiny of asylum applications, especially those based on sensitive personal claims, as the UK government moves to clamp down on abuse of its immigration policies.