19 Nigerian immigrants repatriated

A group of 19 Nigerian illegal immigrants, 18 of them male, were repatriated yesterday.

Some of them were about to complete their 18 months in detention while the others had completed the detention period.

They had all been refused refugee status.

The immigrants left for Nigeria from the cargo section at the old airport on an Italian aircraft which had left Italy with another 20 Nigerian illegal immigrants aboard. On their way home they were accompanied by Italian and Maltese police.

One of the Nigerians called The Times in the morning saying he and another nine Nigerians from the Hal Far open centre were being repatriated 25 days short of the conclusion of their 18 months in detention, just before obtaining freedom.

From around noon, scores of policemen started gathering at the Hal Far open centre and at one point a number could be seen carrying shields.

This precaution did not seem necessary, however, because the policemen could be seen putting them on the ground before the immigrants started to board a bus at 1.30 p.m.

The bus took the immigrants to the cargo section at the old airport. To the media, who were observing as the scene unfolded from outside the Hal Far centre, the situation seemed to be quite calm.

Once they had boarded and the bus was leaving, the immigrants could be seen waving to the policemen, some of whom waved back.

Assistant commissioners Josie Brincat and Andrew Seychell supervised the operation.

The other immigrants repatriated yesterday came from detention centres under the responsibility of the army, from prison and also included a number who were no longer in detention after doing their 18 months.

Sources said yesterday that the aim was to repatriate illegal immigrants as early as possible but these people sometimes exacerbated the process to bide time and get out of detention by giving the wrong information in their application and appeal for refugee status.

The 19 were repatriated after their application and appeal for refugee status were refused.

The flight left at around 6 p.m. after a delay due to aircraft problems.

The repatriation was financed by the EU and the frontier agency Frontex following an application by the Maltese and Italian governments, the Interior Affairs Ministry said in a statement.

Through this assistance, the government has saved Lm20,000, the ministry added.

Air Malta won the tender issued by the EU to ferry the immigrants.