The United Kingdom has deported about 41 Nigerians for committing various immigration offences.
The deportees, who were brought into the country in the early hours of yesterday, comprised 33 men and eight women. They arrived the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, at 7.55 a.m. onboard a chartered aircraft. Some of the offences of the deportees included holding and wielding
expired and fake travel documents and illegal entry into the UK through
different routes. the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS)
said some of them had sought for asylum in the UK, which was not granted
by the immigration authorities, while some had spent 24 months or more
in Britain before they were deported.
The deportees, who wore sad and sullen
faces, were eccentric, irascible and very hostile to journalists who
wanted to speak with them as they clutched their luggage, largely jute
bags, locally known as Ghana Must Go bags.
However, one of the deportees who
identified himself as Charles admitted to newsmen that he entered the UK
with a visitor’s visa about two years ago, which had since expired.
He said he regretted his deportation,
saying that it would now be difficult for him to enter the UK again, but
bemoaned the bad economic situation in Nigeria.
“I didn’t enter the UK with fake papers.
I actually applied through the UK Embassy in Lagos and I was issued a
six months visa, but when my visa expired, I decided to stay back there
because there is no job in Nigeria.
“I’ve actually spent two years in the UK
before I was arrested by the security authorities at my workplace. I
regret not leaving the country at the right time especially when my visa
was due.
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