The United Kingdom has deported 43 individuals to Nigeria and Ghana due to immigration violations, including unsuccessful asylum claims and criminal convictions.
In a joint statement issued Friday by the Home Office and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), UK authorities confirmed the deportations but did not disclose the exact date they took place.
Among those removed were 15 failed asylum seekers and 11 foreign nationals who had served prison sentences. An additional seven people reportedly returned to their countries voluntarily.
“Those removed had no right to be in the UK and included 15 failed asylum seekers and 11 foreign national offenders who had served their sentences. Seven people returned voluntarily,” the statement noted.
The UK government did not disclose how many individuals were deported to each country or confirm whether all were nationals of Nigeria and Ghana.
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Since Prime Minister Keir Starmer took office, the UK has carried out two charter deportation flights to Nigeria and Ghana, removing a total of 87 people. In October, a record 44 individuals were deported on a single flight to both nations.
This marks a shift following the collapse of the controversial UK-Rwanda migration deal, which the UK Supreme Court deemed unlawful in 2023. That agreement sought to relocate asylum seekers to Rwanda for processing and resettlement.
In its place, the UK reportedly signed a deportation agreement with Nigeria to streamline the return of undocumented migrants.
After the latest flight, UK Border Security and Asylum Minister Angela Eagle thanked the governments of Nigeria and Ghana for their cooperation, describing the effort as a model of strong international collaboration.
The UK government also reported that over 24,000 people were removed from the country in the past year—an 11% rise from the previous year.
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