Nigerian fears death if deported

Comfort Adefowoju and her four children were taken from their east Belfast home by immigration officers last month.

They have since been transferred to Yarlswood detention centre near London. Rev Johnston Lambe, of Mountpottinger Presbyterian Church, said the family had become part of the community and should be allowed to stay.

He has been campaigning on behalf of them and another Nigerian family.

"They are part of the community, they have been part of a charity programme, they have been part of women's groups, they have been part of children's programmes," he said.

"The community is crying out 'what is happening to these families?'"

Mrs Adefowoju said being in Yarlswood felt like "dying slowly".

"It's traumatic and when you are here you are not sure what is going to happen to you - you could be removed at any time, any day," she said.

Mrs Adefowoju said her husband had been forced to flee Nigeria and after that paramilitaries had come to her house and threatened to burn it down with her and her children in it.

"They've done a lot of harm to people and I can't wait there for them to kill me and my children," she said.