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The United Kingdom government has unveiled new immigration proposals that could require some former asylum seekers to repay up to £10,000 (approximately ₦18 million) in public support they received while awaiting decisions on their asylum applications before they can qualify for permanent settlement.

The proposed changes, contained in a new immigration bill introduced to Parliament on Tuesday, would give the Home Office legal authority to recover the cost of accommodation and financial assistance previously provided to asylum seekers who later become financially stable.

Under the proposed legislation, eligible individuals who have secured employment or acquired sufficient financial resources after being granted protection may be required to reimburse part or all of the support they received during the asylum process. Repayment would become one of the conditions for obtaining indefinite leave to remain in the UK.

The new rules would also extend to former asylum seekers who leave the United Kingdom and subsequently apply to return, ensuring they meet any outstanding repayment obligations before being granted settlement rights.

According to the Home Office, the measure is aimed at reducing the growing financial burden of the UK’s asylum system on taxpayers while ensuring that those who are capable of contributing do so once they are financially established.

Defending the proposal, the Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, said the government had already made significant progress in cutting asylum-related expenditure but believed it was reasonable to expect beneficiaries who can afford it to help repay public funds.

She said the cost of providing accommodation and other forms of support to asylum seekers remains substantial and places considerable pressure on public finances.

According to Mahmood, while access to asylum support is an important humanitarian commitment, individuals who later achieve financial stability should be expected to contribute towards the costs incurred on their behalf.

Official Home Office figures show that accommodating an asylum seeker currently costs an average of £23.25 per person each night in standard dispersal accommodation. However, the cost rises sharply to around £144 per person per night for those housed in hotels, which have been widely used because of accommodation shortages.

In addition to housing, asylum seekers receive weekly subsistence payments ranging between £9.95 and £49.18, depending on their personal circumstances and the type of support provided.

Government employment data cited by the Home Office indicate that many refugees eventually become economically active after being granted asylum. Around one in four people aged between 16 and 64 who received refugee status between 2015 and 2023 entered employment within the same year they were granted protection.

The proportion increases significantly over time, with about half of refugees securing employment within two years of being granted asylum.

Among refugees who had lived in the UK for eight years after receiving refugee status, 37 per cent were working full-time, earning a median annual salary of approximately £23,000. The figures also show that around 40 per cent earned above the national minimum wage.

The Home Office said the proposed legislation reflects the government’s intention to make the asylum system more financially sustainable by requiring those who are able to repay some of the public assistance they once depended on, while continuing to provide protection for individuals fleeing persecution and conflict.

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By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

The Ataoja of Osogboland, Oba Jimoh Oyetunji, Larooye II, on Wednesday hosted the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rasheed Adewolu Ladoja, Arusa I, as Governor Ademola Adeleke officially commissioned the new Lameco Flyover Bridge and roundabout in Osogbo, the Osun State capital.

The five-span overhead bridge, which has a total length of 672 metres, was constructed to solve the perennial traffic congestion along the Lameco axis and boost economic activities in the metropolis.

The Olubadan performed the ribbon-cutting ceremony at the event, which was attended by traditional rulers and key stakeholders.

Speaking at the commissioning, Governor Adeleke praised the project as proof of his administration’s local content policy. “The high quality of this flyover confirms the workability of our local content model.

We have proven to the whole world that our local engineers can perform to world class standards,” he stated.

The governor also disclosed that his administration has completed over 27 kilometres of intra-city roads in Osogbo and more than 300 kilometres across the state.

He charged residents to protect the infrastructure, warning against street trading and vandalisation of the bridge’s railings and lights.

In his goodwill message, the Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Oyetunji, Larooye II, described the project as strategic.

He noted that it would ease human and vehicular movement and enhance socio-economic activities within the town.

The commissioning marks the start of a series of project inaugurations across the state.

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By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

Samuel Gbinde, pastor of the Universal Reform Christian Church (URCC), also known as Nongu u Kristu u i Ser u sha Tar (NKST), and two members of his congregation have been abducted by gunmen in Benue State.

The incident happened on Tuesday at the pastor’s residence located within the NKST Church premises in Andyar, Ishan Classis, Benue State.

The church’s General Secretary, Titus Targba, announced the incident in a statement, saying the victims were taken by armed men from the pastor’s residence.

He appealed to church members and the public to pray for their safe return while efforts continue to secure their freedom.

The church also called on security agencies, the Benue State Government and the Federal Government to move quickly to rescue the three victims and arrest those behind the kidnapping.

It further urged the authorities to step up efforts against kidnapping and other violent crimes across the state by taking stronger action to stop criminal groups before they strike instead of responding only after attacks have taken place.

The latest abduction has added to growing worries over insecurity in Benue State, where communities have continued to face repeated attacks despite ongoing security operations and peace efforts.

Only a few days earlier, the chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) in Benue State, Ardo Risku, and his associate, Yakubu Isa, were killed after attending a peace meeting in Ohimini Local Government Area.

Police later confirmed the arrest of 10 suspects in connection with the killings.