2 Nigerian students leaving Canada after year in hiding

Two Nigerian students living in Regina who have been in trouble with immigration authorities left Saskatchewan Friday.

Victoria Ordu and Favour Amadi, who were under a deportation order, took refuge in a church after learning they would be forced to leave the country.

The University of Regina students have been in hiding for more than a year, getting by with the help of friends.

The pair say their trouble stems from a few weeks in 2011 when they worked at a Regina Wal-Mart, not knowing it was not permitted under the terms of their student visas. 

The university said it supported the two. The case drew the attention of Liberal MP Ralph Goodale, who
took their plight to the House of Commons and said the women should be allowed to stay.

On Friday, CBC News learned the students had flown out of Saskatchewan.

They were expected to land at Pearson airport in Toronto in the afternoon and are scheduled to get on a plane to Nigeria tonight.

University of Regina president Vianne Timmons said the two left voluntarily in the hope that doing so would allow them to return to Canada later.

Immigration officials were not immediately available for comment.