Fatou Tamba’s family fear she could be removed from the UK tomorrow and will face danger in her native country
Fatou Tamba looks set to be deported from the UK in the coming days
Fears are growing for a Liverpool woman fighting plans to remove her from the UK after she was moved to an immigration removal centre ahead of her planned deportation.
The ECHO has been following and reporting on the case of Fatou Tamba, who has been living in the UK for the past 18 years – and the last eight in Liverpool – but was detained by immigration officials in March and told she will be forcibly removed from the country to The Gambia, where she is originally from.
The 55-year-old is a popular member of multiple community groups here in Liverpool and has a partner and a son in the UK. She has previously had applications for asylum turned down but has been hoping the government will reconsider based on the family life she has here in this country.
Having been held at Derwentside Immigration Centre in the North East since being detained in March, Fatou had a brief reprieve when a planned removal flight was cancelled last month as her friends, family and lawyers fought to stop her removal. However, now her situation looks increasingly bleak.
Fatou’s brother Lamin, who has UK citizenship, told the ECHO that over the weekend his sister was moved at night from where she was being in held at Derwentside to Yarl’s Wood Immigration Removal Centre in Bedfordshire.
This is a facility used by the Home Office to detain people before they are deported from the country.
Fatou Tamba is set to be deported to The Gambia after living in the UK for 18 years
Lamin claimed this movement of his sister happened without notice and took place at night. He said: “We think they moved her at night to stop potential action to stop her removal.” He claimed the Home Office is now acting without being transparent with Fatou’s friends and family.
Lamin confirmed that lawyers acting for his sister have filed an application with the Home Office that is yet to be determined. Previous removal directions stated that she will not be removed before May 6. The fear is now that she will be deported to The Gambia tomorrow.
Fatou’s relatives have warned of the dangers she would face if she is returned to The Gambia, where her family have faced death threats because of their association with the political party currently in opposition in the West African country.
Lamin explained: “Most of our family is associated with the former government in The Gambia and this has resulted in us being targeted. Members of our family have been detained for years without charges and our cousin was shot.
“Many have had to flee and we still receive death threats. If she is sent back, she will be at risk of kidnapping, false imprisonment, or death.”
Simon Petty, an Asylum Seeker Support volunteer in Liverpool said: “Fatou’s deportation would be cruel and inhumane. Her life is in real danger if returned to The Gambia. I call for her release from detention and the quashing of any removal order. Fatou hopes for what we all do, a safe home for her and her family.”
The Home Office said its longstanding policy is not to comment on individual cases.
A petition calling for the deportation plan to be stopped has gathered more than 24,000 signatures and can be found here.