Immigration to Europe from Africa is primarily about economics, not need or fear of persecution.
It costs hundreds, sometimes thousands of pounds to book a passage on a broken down wooden boat from North Africa. Most of the passengers are male, from countries far from North Africa - ie they have money to travel and have passed through many other countries who could have given them sanctuary if they were in fear of their lives.
Those who are really destitute and need of our help are still in their home countries, hungry and often homeless.