Spain deports Nigeria and other African, Asian asylum seekers to Morocco

Spain has deported more than 16 individuals from Nigeria, and other sub-Saharan African and Asian migrants to Morocco were turned down for asylum months after they reached the Spanish enclave of Ceuta.  

The Interior Ministry said the group had been sent back to Morocco after it agreed to receive them.

Migrant and rights charities operating in Ceuta said 16 of those deported were from from Senegal, Nigeria, Yemen, Cameroon and Bangladesh.

The first deportation of its kind from the enclave since a mass border crossing in July. 

Virginia Alvarez, an Amnesty International researcher, said Spain’s posture was hypocritical.

“Spain, despite its (progressive) speeches in Europe, is not ensuring that human rights guarantees are met for people who cross its borders in Ceuta and Melilla,” she said. “Morocco does not respect many human rights.”

The International Organization for Migration, which cooperates with Moroccan authorities on voluntary return programmes for third country nationals or migrants, told Reuters IOM does not participate in deportations or forced removals.

“Decisions on removals are the sovereign responsibility of States, and IOM has no role in determining who is removed or where they are sent,” it said, adding that its voluntary return programme supports migrants to rebuild their lives after choosing to go back to their countries of origin.

Over 48 hours in July, some 80,000 people crossed from Morocco into Ceuta, a tiny enclave that along with Melilla represents Europe’s only land borders with Africa.

While most returned within days, thousands remain and Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s government is under pressure from the EU and a frustrated populace to fix the Ceuta crisis before elections on November 29.

Spanish authorities are housing 8,000 migrants in reception centres and processing asylum applications lodged by the majority of people remaining in Ceuta.