Malta, a member of the European
Union, is a group of seven islands in the Mediterranean Sea. Only the three
largest islands – Malta, Gozo and Comino – are inhabited.
The flight which conveyed the
deported Nigerians was coordinated by the Malta Home Affairs Ministry and the
police.
The 33 men and 11 women had
requested asylum from the government of Malta based on the insecurity in
Nigeria.
However, Malta’s Home Affairs
Ministry said that the requests of the asylum seekers were inadmissible and
their appeal was not accepted since Nigeria is considered a safe country.
Most of the migrants had arrived in
Malta last year. They were housed in detention centres. Each deported person
was escorted by two police officers. The flight to Lagos also included a
medical team.
The operation was carried out after
Nigerian authorities sent the necessary travel documents. Most of the expenses
involved were covered by the European Union. Malta’s Home Affairs Minister, Carm Mifsud Bonnici thanked the police
for the success of the operation.
He said Malta offered protection to
those who deserved it. It also worked to relocate migrants to other countries
where they could have a better future.
However, those who did not qualify
for protection had to be repatriated.
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