The United Kingdom government has announced plans to expand its detention capacity as part of efforts to ensure foreign offenders and illegal migrants are securely held and deported more swiftly.
In a statement shared on Sunday via its official X handle, the UK Home Office said the move is aimed at strengthening enforcement and accelerating the removal of individuals without legal status in the country.
“We’re increasing detention capacity to ensure foreign offenders and illegal migrants can be securely held and removed from the UK faster,” the post read.
The development came shortly after Nigeria and the UK signed a bilateral agreement during President Bola Tinubu’s two-day state visit to Britain last week.
The pact, formalised by Nigeria’s Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo and UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, is designed to fast-track the repatriation of failed asylum seekers, visa overstayers, and convicted Nigerian offenders from the UK.
Under the agreement, Nigeria will recognise UK-issued letters as valid identification for deportees, removing a key bureaucratic barrier that has historically delayed returns.
According to UK data, about 961 Nigerians have exhausted all asylum appeal rights, while an additional 1,110 Nigerian foreign national offenders are currently awaiting deportation. The deal is expected to accelerate the return of over 2,000 Nigerians and others without legal status in Britain.
However, the announcement has sparked concern among some social media users, with critics warning it could trigger mass deportations of Nigerians.
Responding to the concerns, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Temitope Ajayi, clarified that the agreement applies strictly to undocumented Nigerians.
“For clarity, it is important to state that the agreement signed by the Minister of Interior… and Home Secretary Rt Hon Shabana Mahmood… only relates to Nigerians who do not have legal status to live and remain in the UK,” Ajayi said.
He added that Nigeria would not accept non-Nigerian nationals under the arrangement and that the UK is not compelling the country to receive individuals who are not its citizens.
