Shortly before they were bundled into the plane yesterday, one of the Nigerians deported from the UK spoke to Detained Voices, a site which shares stories, experiences and demands made by people held in immigration detention centres in the UK or those who have family members or partners in detention. Read his story below…
Basically, the charter flight is for today and theyโre trying to get us on the flight. But here lies the problem. We all know very well, according to the rules anyway, if they want to take us they have to get travel documents for all of us. But then they have already issued travel certificates for everybody without anybody actually signing for it. How does that work? Obviously there have been allegations this week against the home office and against the Nigerian embassy about, you know bribary, to make sure she issues travel documents for people without their knowledge, you understand what I mean. According to the information we are getting, each person gets ยฃ3000. Basically, all of us have been sold to the British Government to do whatever they wants to do to us. Weโve been very calm. Weโve asked them can you get the home office to explain how theyโve got travel documents for us when we didnโt sign for it. Obviously thatโs fraud because I havenโt signed for anything. How are we supposed to follow the rules and regulation when those rules and regulations of the Home Office clearly doesnโt apply to them. They actually break the law on a regular basis. They bribe people on a regular basis. Half of the people on the flight today have family here. They shouldnโt be going to Nigeria in the first place. I left Nigeria 17 years ago, right, I was 9 years old when I left Nigeria. I had only really lived in Nigeria for 6 years. And you are telling me itโs okay you can go back there. To where? My dad passed away last month. Who am I going back to? Who am I going back to? My sisters here, my brothers here. My niece has very big health problems. Sheโs got heart issues. Theyโre in London. She needs help on a regular basis. My sister cannot handle it. We are just sat in the room basically. We are waiting for the officers to forcefully remove us. We are just in the room waiting. Because at the end of the day, they havenโt answered our questions.
