Inspection of escort and removals to Nigeria and Ghana

What we found

Escorting staff were allocated to specific detainees and briefed on their backgrounds, allowing them to provide continuity of care. Force was only used where necessary, and restraints were removed when detainees were considered compliant. Although most detainees knew when they were scheduled to leave, they were unaware of other details, including where they would be landing, which made planning for arrival difficult.

Points to note: Women were searched appropriately, travelled on a separate coach and boarded the flight first. However, menstrual care products were not readily available, and their mobile phones were taken from them up to four hours before they were collected, limiting contact with family and legal representatives.