The government of Germany is reportedly preparing to deport up to one thousand Sierra Leoneans described as illegal migrants.

This decision comes after their asylum requests were rejected by the German government and the Government of Sierra Leone agreed to take them in.

According to one Sierra Leonean German, Alhaji Koroma, most of those who will be deported are the ones that arrived in Germany through the “Temple Run route from Libya”, and went on to seek asylum in Germany.

He noted that good number of them have been seeking asylum since 2016, but that most have been served rejection paper.

Koroma continued that some of the 1000 Sierra Leoneans have gone underground, while others are trying to move on to other European countries, adding that there are some who are however ready to return home.

He continued that one thing that is making life difficult for them is the COVID-19 check and restrictions imposed by the German government, as most of them, he disclosed, are without legal documents and that returning home so soon was not an option.