Campsfield House immigration removal centre in Kidlington, OxfordshireAsylum seekers who escaped from a detention centre have been urged to hand themselves in to police by a leading immigration rights campaigner.
Imam Sajid, former chairman of the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants, who provide independent legal advice for asylum applicants, told the escapees who broke out on Saturday night: “If you have a grievance do it properly – hand yourselves in now and get legal representation.”
Police are searching for 16 detainees who fled the Campsfield House Immigration Detention Centre, in Oxfordshire.
They have already caught 10 men who escaped after fires were started at the centre.
The breakout comes after a week of tension which saw several protests by detainees.
GEO, who run Campsfield on behalf of the Border and Immigration Agency, contacted Thames Valley Police shortly before 11pm after a fire was started and the detainees fled.
Superintendent Robin… Read the full story