Nigerians in Algeria are hiding in fear as authorities intensify immigration crackdowns, leading to the deportation of 40 individuals for overstaying and illegal documents.
The deportees, consisting of 37 men and three women, arrived in Abuja on February 4, 2025 at 8.10 pm via Turkish Airlines flight TK623, an official signal dated February 4, 2025 and obtained by SaharaReporters disclosed.
A source told SaharaReporters that several Nigerians in Algeria “are in hiding to avoid being arrested and deported”.
SaharaReporters learnt that those affected include Ibrahim Abdullahi from Kano State, Sani Adamu from Katsina State and Barau Muazu from Kano State.
Algeria has intensified its efforts to address illegal immigration, leading to the deportation of numerous sub-Saharan African migrants, including Nigerians.
Human rights organisations have raised concerns about these actions, highlighting issues such as racial profiling and the humanitarian conditions faced by deportees.
In recent years, Algeria has conducted mass deportations of sub-Saharan migrants. For instance, in 2017, Amnesty International reported that over 2,000 sub-Saharan migrants were expelled within a three-week period, with allegations of mass racial profiling during arrests.
More recently, in 2024, the NGO Alarme Phone Sahara estimated that more than 30,000 migrants were deported by Algeria to Niger, reflecting a significant increase in such actions.
These deportations have raised serious human rights concerns.
Reports indicate that migrants are often abandoned in desert areas near the Niger border, facing harsh conditions and lacking basic necessities.
The Rosa Luxemburg Foundation described Algeria’s expulsion practices as “ruthless and illegal,” emphasising the unprecedented numbers and the dire humanitarian situation in northern Niger.
While specific data on the number of Nigerians affected is limited, it is evident that Nigerians are among the sub-Saharan migrants impacted by Algeria’s crackdown on illegal immigration.
The broader context of these deportations highlights the challenges faced by migrants from various West African countries, including Nigeria, as they seek better opportunities but encounter stringent immigration enforcement and associated human rights issues.
Source: SaharaReporters