Nauru deports security officers

NAURU – The Nauruan government has detained two Wilson Security officers who were employed at the Australian-run centre on the island.

The two are scheduled to be deported on Wednesday.

Guardian Australia reports that it understands that a male and female security officer had their visas revoked by Nauru officials and were detained in police cells on Sunday.

It is understood that neither has been accused of any crime or wrongdoing.

Their detention appears to followed a decision by Wilson Security not to hire a local Nauruan as a security officer.

The detention and deportation of the guards has raised concerns among the Australian companies on the island that their detention was purely “political payback” for Wilson’s decision not to hire a local.

A spokesman for the Australia Foreign Affairs and Trade Department said in a statement: “The department is providing consular assistance to two Australians detained in Nauru, in accordance with the consular services charter.

“The Australian government has no jurisdiction to interfere in the legal or immigration processes of other countries.

“Due to privacy obligations, we are unable to provide further information.”

The island nation is currently overwhelmed with dengue fever, with 750 confirmed cases of the infection, including more than 50 among asylum seekers and refugees held on the island by the Australian government.

The two officers were held in cells that do not have netting used to protect against mosquitos that carry the dengue fever disease, the Guardian reports.

- Guardian/PNC