DEVELOPING NEWS:
The UK Homes office has commenced long planned deportations of migrants from various countries back to their countries. The first flight took off last Wednesday carrying asylum seekers from Zimbabwe.
The deportation flight to Zimbabwe is just the very first in more of such long-haul flights for mass deportation of migrants back to their country. Palydom can report that this includes deportation flight to Nigeria and Ghana.
Palydom have also uncovered that the planed deportation by the Home Office includes citizens of countries such as Vietnam and Jamaica. It is hoped that the flights will run in the coming weeks.
The planned flight to Zimbabwe took off on Wednesday but not as originally planned. Most of the detainees who were supposed to be deported got last minute reprieve from the court and covid-19 rules complications.
Many Zimbabweans who are on the list for deportation have sought asylum in the UK and were left for decades. During this time, they started families and have had children.
Many of the Zimbabweans in immigration detention with tickets for the charter flight, planned for Wednesday, say they fled their home country as a result of having campaigned for human rights in the southern African country and against its former leader Robert Mugabe.
There are many Nigerians wearing this same shoe. They have sort asylum in the UK but currently do not know their fate, even after years on the line. There are also many Nigerian asylum seekers today, both new and old applicants who are currently been hunted back home by their own government.
These people will all be terrified by now at the likelihood of being forcibly returned to their home country. However, Palydom understands that only people with criminal convictions and those who have overstayed visas have been chosen for the deportation flight.
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
United Kingdom is home away from home to most Nigerians. It is a country where many Nigerians have fled to while running from persecution from repressive Nigerian governments.
There are also Nigerians who are seeking asylum in the UK while fleeing from Boko Haram and many other extremist groups based in the Northern part of Nigeria.
Gay relationship is illegal in Nigeria. So, homosexual act which are punishable by up to 14 years in prison is also another reason why Nigerians seek Asylum in the UK.
It was reported by the Home Office in 2017 that Nigeria racked 3rd, just after Pakistan and Bangladesh, among countries with citizens who seek for asylum in the UK based on sexual orientation.
There are also other reasons why Nigerians seek asylum in the UK, but most recently is because of the ongoing repression of the Igbos from the Eastern region, because of their demand for self-determination.
Members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), led by the British Nigerian Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and their associates and supporters are known to be targets of assassination and persecution by the Nigerian regime led by General Mohammadu Buhari.
Some of the IPOB members who are lucky to have fled the country alive are reported to have sort for international protection or what is commonly known as Asylum in the US, Canada and also the UK.
BASIC FACTS
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- In the year ending March 2021, the UK received 26,903 asylum applications from main applicants only. Amongst adults, Iran was the top nationality claiming asylum in the UK within this period, and not Nigerians as somethings wrongly reported.
- The UK Home Office figures between July 2015 to March 2017 showed there were 362 asylum seekers from Nigeria whose claims were based on sexual orientation.
- Out of the above number 81% were denied asylum. Only 63 were allowed to remain in the UK and this was after rigorous tribunal hearings.
- At the end of March 2021, there were a total of 1,033 people held in the detention estate in the UK. This is recorded by the Home Office as being up from 895 when compared to March 2020.
- The Home Office said it had deported about 700 foreign national offenders so far this year, a substantial drop on previous years. With some travel restrictions easing, it is hoping to increase the numbers removed.
- A Home Office spokesperson said: “We make no apology for seeking to protect the public by removing serious, violent and persistent foreign national offenders. We have removed more than 700 criminals this year, with a combined sentence of more than 1,500 years in prison.”
NOTABLE QUOTE
Annie Viswanathan, the director of Bail for Immigration Detainees, said: “We’re really concerned that the government is determined to go ahead with this flight despite the situation in Zimbabwe. One client who came to the UK feeling political persecution told us they fear for their life if they are deported.”
WHAT WE ARE WATCHING
We are watching this case very closely considering the importance of the matter to many Nigerians and our readers.
The situation in Nigeria and the fate accompli it has forced on many Nigerians has put many people on the asylum route.
So, we are monitoring the developments and shall keep our readers posted.
FOLLOW THE NEWS
This news is still developing and we are monitoring it for you. In the days and weeks to come, we shall continue to monitor the situation and we will continue to update our readers with the latest developments. Please let us know what part of this news that is of interest to you. Let us know what you wish to know as things develop. Also, avail us with any information that is available to you that may help us better inform our readers. You can signup to The Intel newsletter to receive expert analysis on this news and things that matter to you.
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