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DOZENS of people are facing deportation to Nigeria and Ghana tonight on the Home Office’s latest charter flight to west Africa.
A leading charity, Bail for Immigration Detainees, has slammed the scheduled expulsion flight, calling it “nothing more than modern-day transportation, a practice that should have ended in the 19th century when it began.”
The charity’s director Celia Clarke said: “While the public’s attention is diverted by Brexit, people who have made their lives in Britain are smuggled out and face permanent exile from their families and everything they know.”
Ms Clarke was reacting to testimony compiled by campaign group Movement for Justice who are in touch with scores of people booked on the flight.
In a dramatic development, the group said that one man, who came to Britain aged nine two decades ago, managed to win a last minute reprieve from the expulsion flight because of his severe mental health problems.
The group also posted a video online shot by a detainee who said: “They say they are shipping me back and this is the bag I’m taking back to Nigeria.”
started segregating people 4 #NigeriaGhanacharter This vid from D in cell waiting 4 flight - here since 16y/o, not been2 nigeria 16yrs. Parents/5 siblings here with Brit cit. All for single #JointEnterprise conviction #EndDeportations #StopCharterFlights #Jamaica50 #Nigeria50 pic.twitter.com/H9lF1Uj41o
— Movement for Justice (@followMFJ) March 26, 2019
He held a clear bin liner up to his camera-phone before saying: “I’ve had 16 years in London and [I’m] going back with this ... so sad”.
The Morning Star spoke to another man, Michael, who has narrowly avoided deportation to Ghana on this flight.
He has lived in Britain since the 1980s and is married to a British citizen with two young children.
When he found out he was off the flight, he said “I felt good because I know I’m not leaving my family – I just broke down.”
He estimated that his family have spent over £20,000 on immigration appeals.