Manus Island: Refugees refuse to leave Australia centre

Refugees held by Australia in Papua New Guinea have launched legal action over the closure of a detention centre.

Australia holds asylum seekers arriving by boat in camps on PNG's Manus Island and the small Pacific nation of Nauru.

The Manus Island centre is scheduled to close on Tuesday after a PNG court ruled it was unconstitutional.

Detainees argue the closure will breach their human rights by denying them access to water, electricity and security. Many are refusing to leave.

The local authorities have warned that all electricity, drinking water and food at the centre will cease at 17:00 local time (07:00 GMT) and that PNG defence authorities could enter the centre as early as Wednesday.

Refugees told the BBC that detainees planned to protest peacefully, and had begun stockpiling water and dry biscuits, as well as setting up makeshift catchments for rainwater.

They claimed that locals began looting the compound on Tuesday after security guards left.

UCJ, UNILORIN.