NEW OF THE DAY........."U.S. immigration deports 63 Nigerians"

ANOTHER 63 Nigerians were yesterday deported by the immigration agency of the United States of America (USA) for being in possession of illegal firearms and residing in the country illegally.

The deportees arrived aboard a B737 aircraft with registration number N739mi at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos at 11:15 am.

The deportees, who arrived in the country from Miami, USA, comprised of seven females and 56 males who wore sordid look while they were handed over to the Nigerian Immigration Service officers.

Some of them who gave their names as Kafilat Ogunrinde, Adewunmi, Olufemi, Akin and Alex were said to have been arrested with guns by the U.S. police.

The Guardian learnt that most of the deportees had been residing in the U.S. for between two and 10 years. Information showed that 80 per cent of them were illegal immigrants without valid documents.

One of the deportees, who does not want his name in print, decried his arrest, alleging that he was picked up on his way to a super market. He, however, confessed that his documents to permit him to reside in the country had expired, adding that he lost his job to the global economic meltdown about three months ago.

He said he went to the U.S. in 2004 when he could not secure a decent job in Nigeria. The deportee did not rule out returning to the U.S. after perfecting his papers.

About a month ago, 23 Nigerians were deported from Spain for purportedly staying in the country illegally, while Ireland and Spain in June also deported 155 Nigerians, including infants from their countries.

The deportees from Ireland, totalling 86, were made up of 45 men, 28 women and three infants, while those from Spain totalled 69, but their breakdown was unclear. A source, however, said the deportees from Spain included a Nigerian who was arrested for drug related offences.

No fewer than 1,063 Nigerians have been deported from various countries in the last six months. Some people have attributed the development to the global economic meltdown ravaging most developed countries.