At least 40 Nigerians have been deported amid Algeria’s stepped-up immigration enforcement, and many more are reportedly hiding to avoid being arrested and forcibly removed.
Authorities reportedly deported the individuals because of their improper papers and overstayed visas.
The deportees, 37 men and 3 women, arrived in Abuja on Turkish Airlines flight TK623 at 8:10 p.m. on February 4, 2025, according to an official report that was received.
Many Nigerians in Algeria are currently living in fear, according to a source with knowledge of the situation. The insider revealed, “Many are in hiding to avoid being arrested and deported.”
Ibrahim Abdullahi from Kano State, Sani Adamu from Katsina State, and Barau Muazu from Kano State are among those impacted.
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Nigerians and other migrants from sub-Saharan Africa have been deported in large numbers as a result of Algeria’s increased efforts to stop illegal immigration.
Human rights organizations, however, have denounced these measures, pointing to worries about racial profiling and the difficult circumstances deportees endure.
The nation in North Africa has a history of evicting migrants from sub-Saharan Africa. According to a 2017 Amnesty International study, arbitrary arrests based on racial profiling resulted in the deportation of nearly 2,000 migrants in three weeks.
According to the NGO Alarme Phone Sahara, Algeria deported more than 30,000 migrants to Niger in 2024, continuing the trend.
Many of these deportees were reportedly left trapped in arid areas close to the Nigerien border, where they faced extreme hardship and a shortage of basic essentials.
Although the precise number of Nigerians impacted is still unknown, it is clear that many are ensnared in Algeria’s extensive immigration enforcement.
