The United Kingdom has deported 43 people — including failed asylum seekers and foreign criminals — to Nigeria and Ghana as part of its intensified immigration enforcement efforts.
Among those on board were 15 individuals whose asylum claims had been rejected and 11 foreign nationals who had completed prison terms. Additionally, seven people opted to leave the UK voluntarily.
This marks the second deportation flight to Nigeria and Ghana since the last general election, raising the total number of removals to 87. British officials described the move as a sign of strengthening collaboration with the two West African countries.
According to a statement published Friday on the UK government’s website, the operation forms part of a broader strategy to enhance border security through international cooperation.
The deportation was carried out under the government’s “Plan for Change,” an initiative aimed at reinforcing the immigration system by ensuring that individuals without legal status are promptly removed.
Since the current administration assumed office, more than 24,000 people have been deported, representing an 11% rise compared to the same period a year earlier. The removal of foreign national offenders has also increased by 16%, with 3,594 criminals returned to their home countries.
Officials have emphasized that all deportations are conducted “in a dignified and respectful manner.”
Commenting on the latest operation, Minister for Border Security and Asylum Angela Eagle said: “This flight demonstrates how international partnerships deliver on working people’s priorities for swift returns and secure borders. Through the Plan for Change, we’re going further in restoring order to a broken system, accelerating returns of those with no right to be here and closing expensive asylum hotels.
“I thank the governments of Ghana and Nigeria for facilitating this operation, which reflects our joint commitment to disrupt organised immigration crime and protect our borders.”
Baroness Chapman of Darlington, Minister at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) responsible for irregular migration, also praised the collaboration, saying: “Working with other countries and partners around the world is critical to tackling irregular migration – by working internationally, we will meet this global challenge together.
“I welcome our strong cooperation with Ghana and Nigeria to return those with no right to be in the UK, secure our borders, and deliver on the Plan for Change.
“This operation follows the Organised Immigration Crime Summit, which saw the UK bring together over 40 countries, including Nigeria and Ghana, to drive forward the global fight against smuggling gangs and deliver on the government’s mission to secure our borders.”
