Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Palestinian platforms: Settlers storm Al-Aqsa Mosque complex under the protection of the occupation police
Palestinian platforms: The IOF detonated a booby-trapped robot east of the al-Zaytoun neighborhood, south of Gaza City
Syrian Defense: We call on all parties in Sweida to cooperate with security forces and exercise restraint
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: The Lebanese Army is continuing its investigations and will later announce any information that does not affect the confidentiality of the investigation
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: It has not yet been determined whether the detainees belong to ISIS or another organization
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Around 10 people of different nationalities, including Lebanese nationals, were detained
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: The Lebanese army arrested a number of people in the Matn area of Mount Lebanon with possession it has not disclosed
Gaza Civil Defense spokesman: We have strong indications that there are martyrs, injuries, and trapped people in the Salah al-Din area
Gaza Civil Defense spokesman: Citizens should avoid Salah al-Din Street because anyone who approaches it is at risk of being directly targeted
Gaza Civil Defense spokesman: Reality is that there is a very limited retreat of the vehicles, with the occupation forces providing cover undeer fire up to Salah al-Din Street

Nigerians fleeing Ukraine accuse UK of ignoring black refugees

  • By Al Mayadeen Net
  • Source: Agencies
  • 20 Mar 2022 10:02
  • 3 Shares
3 Min Read

Nigerian refugees fleeing Ukraine say they are being profiled based on their nationality, and are being told they can't enter the UK because they're not Ukrainian.

  • x
  • Refugees from Africa, Middle East and India seen at the Medyka pedestrian border crossing in Poland fleeing the conflict in Ukraine, on Feb. 27, 2022
    Refugees from Africa, Middle East and India seen at the Medyka pedestrian border crossing in Poland fleeing the conflict in Ukraine, on Feb. 27, 2022

Nigerian refugees are increasingly claiming that the British government is ignoring black people who fled Ukraine, according to a report by The Guardian.

These refugees' experiences have prompted claims by some that UK ministers would have never started the humanitarian sponsorship plan for Ukrainian refugees were it not aimed at white Europeans.

Although the scheme places no limit on the numbers they're willing to accept from Ukraine, this stands in sharp contrast with the UK government's visa scheme for Afghans that promised spaces for a mere 5,000 people in the first year, only for it to emerge that the spots were taken by Afghans already living in Britain, despite the UK being part of NATO, which was an active participant in the war on Afghanistan.

Another sponsorship scheme launched in 2015 for Syrian refugees managed only 700 placements in seven years compared with promises of tens of thousands for Ukrainians.

Black people "dehumanized"

Related News

Nigeria army base attack leaves 17 soldiers killed in ambush

Nigeria to commission two Chinese-backed lithium processing plants

Senior Policy Manager at the Runnymede Trust, Alba Kapoor, said the UK's response throws up questions of equality amid the claims of black people being "dehumanized" and viewed as African migrants instead of refugees from Ukraine. 

“There’s an obvious question, which is why people of colour who are fleeing war and terror and persecution do not have the right to equal treatment to others,” she said, adding that the UK still suffers from an inability to view people from the global South as humans if they are trying to flee war and persecution. 

"That’s a sad place to be – it’s not just the government, but also the press.”

24-year-old Alani Iyanuoluwa fled Kiev two weeks ago, and was hoping to be reunited with family in London, but was instead left stranded in a French Part on account of her nationality. She was split up from other refugees from Ukraine because she was black. Other refugees from Africa are facing the same treatment.

“We’re coming from war and they are telling us that without a Ukrainian passport we can’t come to the UK, but the UK should consider all residents living in Ukraine when the war started,” she said.

Britain's Department for Leveling Up, Housing and Communities rejected these claims as "utterly baseless," and a spokesperson said “We are working as fast as possible to house refugees from across the world and are proud this country has provided homes for more than 4,000 Afghans evacuees in such a short space of time.

Clare Moseley, founder of the charity Care4Calais, said: “The UK schemes to help Ukrainian refugees come to Britain are heavily biased towards Ukrainian nationals. But they are not the only people whose homes and lives have been destroyed by the conflict.”

  • Ukraine
  • Ukraine crisis
  • Refugees crossing Ukraine
  • Refugee crisis
  • Refugees
  • Nigeria
  • UK
  • United Kingdom
  • Britain
Russia & NATO

Russia & NATO

As the Draconian Western-led sanctions on Russia exacerbate the economic crisis worldwide, and as Russian troops gain more ground despite the influx of military aid into Ukraine, exposing US direct involvement in bio-labs spread across Eastern Europe and the insurgence of neo-Nazi groups… How will things unfold?

Most Read

Hezbollah SG reveals war details on Al Mayadeen for the first time

Hezbollah SG reveals war details on Al Mayadeen for the first time

  • Politics
  • 8 Jul 2025
Major ambush in Gaza kills 6 Israeli troops, injures dozens

Major ambush in Gaza kills 5 Israeli troops, injures 14

  • Politics
  • 8 Jul 2025
Israeli soldiers are seen in Beit Hanoun ahead of an operation by the al-Qassam Brigades, undated (Al-Qassam Brigades Military Media)

'Israel' on blast as media exposes report discrepancies in Gaza ambush

  • Palestine
  • 8 Jul 2025
Yemen Navy sinks ETERNITY C ship, shares footage of operation

Yemen Navy sinks ETERNITY C ship, shares footage of operation

  • Politics
  • 9 Jul 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
The Freedom Flotilla ship Handala as it departs for Gaza, where it aims to break the maritime blockade at a port in Syracuse, Sicily in southern Italy on July 13, 2025. (AFP)
Palestine

Freedom Flotilla's Handala departs Sicily in bid to break Gaza siege

The container ship CMA CGM Laperouse, left, docks at the Georgia Ports Authority's Port of Savannah, Sept. 29, 2021, in Savannah, Ga (AP)
Politics

US shipbuilding woes deepen as tariffs, outdated policies backfire

Gaza war raises ethical questions for ex-Obama, Biden officials
Politics

Mercenary firm tied to Gaza war crimes hires Obama-Biden PR operatives

'Israel' targets children in Gaza collecting water
Palestine

'Israel' strikes Gaza kids fetching water, blames it on 'malfunction'

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS