UK lists Nigeria, 10 others in major deportation plan amid rising asylum backlog

The government of the United Kingdom said it was ramping up efforts to expedite the return of irregular migrants to their home countries, including Nigeria.

As part of a broader strategy to address the growing asylum-seeking backlogs, the Prime Minister Kier Starmer-led Labour Government announced a “major surge” in deportations targeting individuals without the legal right to remain in the country, an official said on Thursday.

According to an official statement from the interior ministry, the government recently posted a contract worth £15 million ($19.7 million) over three years.

The contract seeks commercial partners to facilitate the “reintegration” of the migrants in their countries of origin.

The announcement, first reported by the Financial Times, outlines the UK’s intention to identify “appropriate reintegration delivery providers” who will assist in returning migrants to 11 different countries including Albania, Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Iraq, Jamaica, Nigeria, Pakistan, Vietnam, and Zimbabwe.

The role of the contractors will encompass a variety of support services, including the provision of food packs, assistance with tracing family members, and aid in accessing job markets, as detailed in the bid notice.

UK’s Interior Minister, Yvette Cooper, highlighted the government’s commitment to achieving the highest deportation rates in five years.

She stated that the government aims to deport over 14,000 failed asylum seekers by the end of the year. “The government is planning to deliver a major surge in immigration enforcement and returns activity to remove people with no right to be in the UK and ensure the rules are respected and enforced,” a ministry spokesperson emphasised in a statement.

The Prime Minister has also vowed to dismantle the networks of smugglers bringing irregular migrants to Britain.

“Smash the gangs,” Starmer urged, pointing to the smugglers who are responsible for transporting migrants across the English Channel on makeshift boats.

So far this year, over 20,000 migrants have attempted the dangerous journey across the Channel from France to the UK in rudimentary vessels, a slight increase from the same period last year.

However, the figure marks a decrease compared to 2022.

Despite the measures, refugee charities have called on the UK government to establish more safe and legal routes for asylum seekers. They argue that such measures would deter desperate individuals from embarking on perilous journeys.

Official statistics released last week revealed that nearly 119,000 people were awaiting decisions on their asylum applications as of June 2024, highlighting the significant challenge the UK faces in addressing its immigration and asylum policies.