8/7/2008

A pregnant Nigerian woman from Cardiff and her family were saved from deportation today.

The removal of Kemi Ayinde and her family (husband Taiwo and child Yasmin) was cancelled this morning.

The Cardiff family were due to be removed at 10.15am today on Virgin Nigeria flight VK292 from Gatwick North Terminal.

They are now in Yarl's Wood detention prison, and their legal team has started the process of setting up a High Court judicial review.

No Borders Wales, an organisation against migration controls and for freedom of movement for all, said this afternoon," As we understand it the Home Office cannot try to remove the family again while this review is underway."

Kemi is heavily pregnant, and has recently encountered complications which make it difficult for her to stand without assistance.

They were due to be flown back to Nigeria on a BA flight last week but, after a barrage of calls, faxes, and e-mails from friends and supporters, the family was taken off the aeroplane at the last minute and returned to detention.

Now they have had another last-minute reprieve, and hopes are high that a convincing case can be made to allow them to return to Cardiff.

The next regular No Borders picket of the Home Office Border and Immigration Agency in Cardiff will take place on Tuesday July 20 .

A spokesman for No Borders said, "We've had two impressive victories in the last week, but we need to keep fighting. We need to let them know we're still here, and that we'll always be here while this barbaric and repressive asylum system continues."