FRIENDS and supporters of a Nigerian family fighting deportation have raised cash to support their case.
Teachers at North Manchester High School for Girls have donated hundreds of pounds to free the Iloba family from custody.
Children Toby, 18, Emanuel, 14, Saskia, 17, and mum Betty, 45, were removed from their home in Falinge, Rochdale, earlier this month and were due to be flown back to Nigeria.
Although an 11th hour review of the case has now been ordered by the Home Office, the family remain behind bars at Yarl's Wood detention centre, Bedfordshire.
Even though former head girl Saskia left the school last year, dozens of staff reached into their own pockets to raise bail money for the teenager and her family.
A bail hearing before a judge will decide whether they can go back to Rochdale while the case is considered. Normally a cash guarantee must be offered and campaigners now believe they have raised enough money.
Clare McIlwraith, a teacher at the school, said: "Even though Saskia left the school a year ago, she made such a huge impression on everyone here that they want to help her in whatever way they can."
Football coaches have pledged their support to Emanuel, a promising young player, and his teachers at St Matthew's RC High in Rochdale, also want to help. Lawyers are preparing a fresh case for the Ilobas to stay in Britain.
They were sent to Britain by their father, a senior policeman, who feared for their safety. He was killed three years ago and the family fear they will still face repercussions.
Earlier this year, Amnesty International warned human rights violations were still rife in the West African state, with executions, bribery and torture.
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Cash to help deportation family
July 20, 2009
Saksia Iloba's former teacher's have rallied round to help the family.
Showing comments 1 to 25 and replies | View All
thoughtful, East of Manchester (20/07/2009 at 09:30)
salfordrat (20/07/2009 at 09:41)
Bigkecks (20/07/2009 at 09:55)
They shouldnt be here....end of.....
Everysingle case like this always has an excuse of why they shouldnt be deported.
If you dont meet the requirments to live here. you have to leave simple as that
J smith (20/07/2009 at 10:06)
Yet wander though any council slum and see the real scroungers sitting around all day drinking supermarket own beer and making any excuse not to work.
Its the drug addicts and criminal underclass who are the real parasites not the asylum seekers.
Jerry Kann, Bramhall (20/07/2009 at 10:06)
How dare you beat me to the salfordrat award. I overslept this morning. These people do not meet the requirments for asylum so lets show them the door. We always get the do gooders that want ignore the rules at other peoples expense.
john davis, Broughton, Salford (20/07/2009 at 10:27)
Elliott Pest, Newton, Nr. Hyde. (20/07/2009 at 10:28)
Sienna Pod, Cheetham Hill (20/07/2009 at 11:06)
john davis, Broughton, Salford (20/07/2009 at 11:09)
Blue Benny (20/07/2009 at 11:24)
Dukinfield Blue, Manchester (20/07/2009 at 12:04)
Ace , manchester (20/07/2009 at 12:24)
Im in full agreement with you and a lot of other people are to.We cannot keep this wasting our resources like this.This is why our children are missing out on education and our schools are closing for lack of funds.
LittleMancMinx, Ashton Under Lyne (20/07/2009 at 12:25)
steve wilson (20/07/2009 at 12:39)
Angie33 , Manchester (20/07/2009 at 12:46)
Tom Foolary, Wilmslow (20/07/2009 at 12:53)
saskia arrived here three years ago but still managed in 12 mths to become HEAD GIRL!can someone explain that to me please?
This has nothing to do with the repatriation of failed asylum seekers. Failed asylum seekers need to be repatriated, those are the rules Steve.
Mad Welsh Scotsman, Cadishead (20/07/2009 at 13:14)
tibby25731, Manchester (20/07/2009 at 15:04)
It reads, 'They were sent to Britain by their father, a senior policeman, who feared for their safety. He was killed three years ago and the family fear they will still face repercussions.' So, this is what happens if you are an asylum seeker - NOT THE SAME THING as an illegal immigrant by the way - if you fear for your life for whatever reason, you choose a country to apply for asylum in. So this family are not, and never have been, illegal immigrants. They arrived here and claimed asylum. This takes a long time to process, as we can see from the story. They were due to be sent back to Nigeria but now there has been an appeal, so they are being kept in a detention centre pending that appeal. They have not tried to run and hide, they are doing everything by the boo. If this family made such a good impression in the short time they have been here that people will dig into their own pockets to raise cash to help them, then in my eyes they are more than welcome to stay in this country. We need more decent people - I mean, just read the other comments to see what fine examples of citizens we have already :S
So can we remember please:
Asylum seeker - life is in danger so they legally apply to stay in another country. NOT ILLEGAL unless they are refused asylum and then abscond.
Illegal immigrant - sneaks into the country, or uses a false identity, does not declare themselves to the authorities.
Yes, there is a whole world of difference. Get your facts straight and get over your superiority complexes!
Tezza, Tyldesley (20/07/2009 at 15:39)
Get your facts straight and get over your superiority complexes!
You seem to getting very uptight about this case but you have simply backed up lots of peoples comments on this site with your quotation “Asylum seeker - life is in danger so they legally apply to stay in another country”
Legally apply to stay in this country; and as you say they have done everything by the book: correct this is what they have done but unfortunately there appeal has failed so they are to be sent back.
You seemed to have admitted that the law is the law and so they have to be returned?
Can you please answer, where would you draw the line?
tibby25731, Manchester (20/07/2009 at 15:54)
Tezza, Tyldesley (20/07/2009 at 16:09)
Yes I quite agree that the relevant government departments get it wrong on many occasions and I do think that in this case the media coverage has helped the families appeal.
But please don’t tar all the people who say that they should be sent back as B.N.P supporters, some people simply see these cases and see that they appear to drag on for many years and always appear to be lining the pockets of the many legal eagles who lodge appeal after appeal.
I don’t have a view either way about the people personally as I don’t know them but the way I see it that if the law says they should go back then they should go back. And if they can get back here legally then all well and good
readersdigest (20/07/2009 at 16:38)
Readersdigest
Bejjy ex Salford now Malta, Malta (20/07/2009 at 16:41)
What you seem to be overlooking is that International law states that any one in fear of their life for whatever reason can seek asylum in the nearest safe country. This family came from Nigeria so have broken asylum laws by not going to the nearest safe country but heading directly to the UK as most illegal immigrants do. And why? Because they are tutored that in the UK their every need will be met; health, housing, education, social services, etc, etc paid for by the British tax-payer are free of charge (thank you very much) to every illegal immigrant whilst they are in the country. No other country is as generous with the handouts as the UK and would be illegal immigrants know that. If this family do not meet the requirements of residence they they should be deported immediately. They have already broken the International law on asylum and that should be taken into consideration.
Bogey Roller, Manchester (20/07/2009 at 18:14)
O. K.
Laura Norder, Didsbury (20/07/2009 at 19:47)
Anti-police/pro-gangsta (sic) today, tomorrow he'll be anti crime and call for the police to get weaving and catch more baddies. You couldn't make it up... or could you?
C'mon the editorial team, admit it, he's an MEN work of fiction, computer-generated to get the rest of us tapping in response to whatever topic needs a toe up the bottom to put some life into it - no?