By Jemimah Wellington, JKNewsMedia Reporter
FORTY-THREE individuals with no legal right to remain in Britain have been deported to Nigeria and Ghana, as part of the United Kingdom (UK)’s renewed drive to enforce immigration laws through international cooperation.
The Home Office and Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) jointly confirmed the removals in a statement released on Friday.
The group included 15 failed asylum seekers and 11 foreign national offenders who had completed prison sentences.
Seven additional individuals chose to leave voluntarily, according to the statement.
Authorities did not disclose the exact date of the deportation flight or clarify how many deportees were sent to each country.
Similarly, it remains unclear whether all were citizens of Nigeria and Ghana.
However, this flight marks the second of such operation since Prime Minister Keir Starmer assumed office in 2024, bringing the total number of deportees sent to Nigeria and Ghana to 87.
A previous flight in October had seen 44 Nigerians and Ghanaians returned — the highest figure in a single deportation from the UK.
The latest removals come as Britain recalibrates its deportation strategy following the collapse of the UK-Rwanda migration deal, the statement reveals.
Signed in 2022, the controversial agreement aimed to process and resettle asylum seekers in Rwanda but was struck down by the Supreme Court in 2023.
In the aftermath, Nigeria reportedly agreed to a bilateral arrangement with Britain, paving the way for the return of illegal immigrants.
Following the latest operation, Angela Eagle, the UK’s Minister for Border Security and Asylum, praised the collaboration with Ghanaian and Nigerian authorities, calling it a demonstration of “the strength of cooperation” on immigration matters.
Officials stressed that all deportations are conducted “in a dignified and respectful manner” as part of the government’s broader “Plan for Change,” designed to restore order to Britain’s immigration system.
Since the new administration took office, over 24,000 individuals have been returned, representing an 11 percent increase compared to the previous year.
Deportations of foreign national offenders have also risen by 16 percent, with 3,594 convicted criminals removed from the UK.
The government insists these efforts reflect its commitment to secure Britain’s borders, disrupt organised immigration crime, and reduce reliance on costly asylum accommodation facilities.
FCDO Minister for Irregular Migration, Baroness Chapman of Darlington, also hailed the operation, restating the importance of international partnerships to tackle irregular migration.
The operation followed the UK-hosted Organised Immigration Crime Summit, which brought together representatives from over 40 nations, including Nigeria and Ghana, to strengthen global action against smuggling networks.
