31-12 months-outdated Afusat Saliu and her two daughters faced deportation back to Nigeria. Photograph: Irene Baque/theguardian.com
A mother who was due to be deported on Thursday evening, and who feared that her two younger daughters would be at chance of female genital mutilation as a result, has been provided a last-minute reprieve, the Guardian has discovered.
Afusat Saliu and her two daughters have been taken from their residence in Leeds and driven to London ahead of the planned deportation, which their attorney stated breached Residence Workplace principles due to the fact they had been not offered the requisite observe. But, in a letter observed by the Guardian, the government’s lawyers cancelled their removal.
Afusat’s lawyer Bhumika Parmar of BP Legal mentioned she has not been told why the government decided to take the stage, but speculated that it could be a result of pressure placed on the airline that was due to carry out the deportation Virgin Atlantic. Nonetheless, she stated, it could equally be as a consequence of pressure positioned on the government to guarantee that the household has been given 72 hours’ discover.
The letter, from the Treasury Solicitor to Saliu’s lawyer, read through that the removal would not go ahead, but warned that it was only a temporary measure.
Virgin Atlantic came underneath strain earlier on Thursday after it emerged that it was due to deport the Saliu loved ones. Each Virgin Group founder Sir Richard Branson and his daughter Holly, who is a senior figure at the group’s management services arm, have spoken out against FGM in the past.
In a statement on Thursday evening, they reiterated their objection to FGM and referred to as on the two the British and Nigerian governments to make certain the Saliu family’s security irrespective of whether or not or not they are ultimately deported.
The pair wrote in a joint blogpost: “If Afusat Saliu and her loved ones are deported to Nigeria, we phone upon the Uk and Nigerian governments to do all they can to protect the loved ones and ensure they are not put at danger of female genital mutilation.
“As we have previously stated, FGM is a horrendous practice and a severe violation of internationally recognised human rights. The authorities must make certain the Saliu family are given all support and safety attainable.”
They added that it was challenging to comment on the House Office’s legal choice simply because they did not know the full specifics of the case.
They extra: “Even though Virgin Atlantic are not able to confirm whether any passengers are or are not flying with them due to data protection laws, they would view any case like this with the safety and welfare of all passengers their major concern.”
Afusat Saliu has said that she fears her daughters would be forcibly subjected to FGM by their family if they returned to Nigeria. She has also explained that she believes she will be forced into a marriage against her will.
The Liberal Democrats are working a campaign to “finish FGM in a generation”, led by underneath-secretary of state for worldwide development Lynne Featherstone and supported by deputy prime minister and celebration leader Nick Clegg. On Thursday, Clegg waded into the row right after discussing it with Anj Handa, a buddy of Saliu.
His aides told the Guardian that he subsequently wrote to the Home Workplace demanding far more information about the Saliu family’s case and was expecting a response quickly.
And shadow immigration minister David Hansen MP said that he and Saliu’s MP, George Mudie had written to Might to ask her to halt the deportation right up until the final result of an application by Saliu for permission to deliver a judicial assessment was heard.
In a statement, he explained: “The specifics of the situation are for the Home Workplace to figure out but it really is critical appropriate method was followed and the decision was produced in a honest way, with sensible consideration given to the risk of FGM, especially provided the home secretary’s statements on this issue and the push by Lib Dem ministers to raise awareness of it.
“Theresa Might need to overview this situation in light of the injunction and give appropriate consideration to the fears of what may possibly take place to her youngsters if she returns.”
Saliu and her young children have been taken into custody by House Office officials and have been transported from their house in Leeds to London for removal, the family’s lawyer advised the Guardian. They are presently becoming held at Heathrow airport, in accordance to her attorney.
Saliu, a victim of female genital mutilation, has previously spoken of her conviction that her daughters will also be mutilated and her fear that, as Christians, they could be targeted by the Nigerian Islamic extremist group Boko Haram, which lately kidnapped far more than 200 schoolgirls.
Much more than 120,000 have signed a petition on the site Modify.org calling on the House Office to reconsider the case.
Deportation reprieve for Nigerians amid female genital mutilation fears
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