Drama as Britain deports 41 Nigerians, Ghanaians

Fourty-one Nigerians were today deported by the British government. Also deported were 41 Ghanaians over immigration issues classified as offenses in the English laws.

The Nigerian deportees, 33 males and eight females, arrived the cargo section of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos at 7:50 am, in an unmarked chartered Airbus 330 aircraft.

The deportees were downcast. A mild drama ensued when one of the deportees, an elderly woman who is said to be in her 60’s alighted from the airplane raised her arms in jubilation, saying, “This is my country. I will make it here in Nigeria. I thank God for bringing me home safely”, as she walked into a waiting Coaster bus provided by Nigeria Aviation Handling Company Plc (NAHCO).

It was learnt that the deportees were kept in custody of the British government since October 2015 over issues related to illegal entry papers, family problems and expired stay among others.

Their Ghanaian counterparts were first taken to Accra.  Some of the Nigerians landed in high spirit and were seen going to pick their baggage after they were profile by the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and other security personnel at the Lagos airport.

Few others had small package to carry after due profiling by the receiving  Immigration officers NEMA.

Over 30 British security operatives escorted the deportees to the country

The Director General of NEMA, represented by the Deputy Director, Search and Rescue, Dr. Bandele Onimole, said the Federal Government had been in touch with its British counterparts, towards reuniting the deportees with their families in Nigeria.

Onimole, however, emphasised that the returnees are not prisoners, but deported for violating immigration laws.

According to him, “The reason, according to British high commission, is that they are being brought back for immigration offenses, and as a responsible government we cannot allow our citizens to enter into the country and start finding their way.

“So, it is our responsibility as NEMA, on behalf of the Federal Government, to ensure that they are well received and we need to talk to them and make them realize that the country they left some years ago, is not the same they are meeting; we have moved ahead.

“Here and today, everyone has equal opportunity to be the best you can be. In whatever trade or learning, ensure you carve a niche for yourself in Nigeria. Where we tend to go to for greener pastures, after all, were developed by their own persons. So we should be able to stay back here and ensure we develop our own country,” Onimole said.

While the immigration officials had them profiled, NEMA offered them stipends for feeding and transportation to their various communities within the country.

He further said, “There are no prisoners on board this aircraft, you may have heard that but the Nigerian government through our high commission in United Kingdom are working on the possibility of assisting those ones to get off the hook and come back home.”

Wole Shadare