Four arrests made after Menoyia migrant tent fire (updated)

Four people were arrested on Tuesday for instigating incidents at a migrant accommodation centre in Menoyia the previous evening.

Ugly scenes broke out at the Limnes reception centre when migrants allegedly set fire to tents as tempers boiled over.

Larnaca police spokesman Harris Hadjiyiasemi said the incidents began when about 20 Nigerians claimed their repatriation process was delayed.

Members of the police rapid response unit (Mmad) intervened to break up the frey.

The group of migrants are awaiting flights back to their country as part of a voluntary return in the “next few days” but were seemingly not provided with exact details as to when the flights were scheduled for.

Two tents were set on fire and part of the barrier was damaged, according to reports.

Firefighters arrived at the scene on Monday night, when the incident broke out, as did additional police officers. Firefighters managed to prevent the flames from spreading any further.

The Limnes centre in the Larnaca district, has received major funding over the past few years to ease the burden on the overloaded Pournara centre.

Elsewhere, the government has sought to significantly increase the rate of returns among failed asylum seekers and irregular migrants.

In June, Interior Minister Nicos Nouris said the goal is to “minimise flows and maximise returns”.

At the time, European Commission Vice President Margaritis Schinas welcomed the “consistent commitment of the Republic of Cyprus, in cooperation with the EU, which has so far successfully organised around 3,000 returns of people who have no reason to be in the EU”.