Comfort Adefowoju and her four young children have been told that they will be returned to their native country this morning following weeks of legal appeals.

The family have been kept at an immigration removal centre in England over the Christmas and New Year period, after they were taken from their east Belfast home by immigration officials a number of weeks ago.

Supporters were expected to gather for the vigil today outside Belfast City Hall.

Mrs Adefowoju fled Nigeria in 2006 after facing threats and intimidation.

Despite integrating into the local community here and making numerous friends, Home Office officials have said that the family do not have the right to remain in the United Kingdom.

Last month campaigners took to the steps of Stormont to highlight the case, and a previous deadline for Mrs Adefowoju's deportation was suspended following the intervention of Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness.

Subsequent legal efforts have proved unsuccessful and campaigners now fear that she will be in danger if she returns to Nigeria.

"It makes no sense to us that the Home Office is pushing ahead with her removal when she has so much support in her Belfast community and compelling evidence from Nigeria. What harm are Comfort and her young children doing?" said Fionola Meredith, one of the campaign organisers.

South Belfast MLA Anna Lo said she would "continue the battle" for the family.

"Comfort and her family are valued members of the community," she said.

"East Belfast is their home and their lives could be in real danger if they are forced to return to Nigeria.

"How can the Home Office ignore the will of local people and move to deport this popular family?

"Deportation would be devastating for the family and the community."

Campaigners say they are urging the Home Office to postpone Mrs Adefowoju's removal at least until her young Belfast-born daughter has been provided with the necessary anti-malarial vaccinations.

Last month another Nigerian woman, Aderonke Falode, and her three young sons - who had also been living in east Belfast - were deported following similar attempts to remain in Belfast.

Mrs Falode, a widow, had faced the prospect of being forced to wed an already married man.