48 Deported Nigerians Arrive Lagos Dazed and Confused

Forty-eight Nigerians who were deported from the United Kingdom Tuesday night arrived yesterday morning at the hajj and cargo terminal of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, looking dazed and confused.

Deportees arriving the country are discharged at the hajj and cargo terminal of the Lagos airport because they are not regarded as regular passengers.

The deportees, comprising 44 males and four females, were flown into Nigeria in a chartered aircraft, which touched down at the airport at 8.07 am local time.

They were accompanied by UK security personnel and the reason given for their deportation was that they had overstayed their visas.

After the necessary documentation, the deportees who wore long faces, very reluctantly obeyed when they were taken to the main entrance of the cargo terminal where they were discharged to go to their various homes.

Some of the deportees who had already notified their relatives of their arrival, were welcomed by family members while others sneaked out of the airport, not wanting to be seen or noticed.

Buses belonging to the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc (NAHCO Aviance) were used to convey the deportees in batches.

The deportation was well publicised in the media before their arrival, as the UK government had made known its plans to deport about 26,000 Nigerians. The 48 who arrived yesterday were the first batch of the deportations.

On Monday, Nigerians living in the UK cried out to the Nigerian government over the plan to deport 500 Nigerians due to immigration issues and other related offences and called on President Muhammadu Buhari to prevail on the British government to stop the deportation.

To receive them on their arrival were the immigration officers, ground handling company officials, the police from the airport command, Nigerian Air Force officers and other security personnel who provided adequate security during the documentation of the deportees.

A relative of one of the deportees, who requested anonymity, said he came to receive his nephew who was studying for his Master’s degree in the UK, adding that he was surprised when he heard that his nephew was one of those deported by the British government.