Ireland Deports 35 Nigerians Over Immigration Violations
Thirty-five Nigerians, including 21 men, nine women, and five children, have been deported from Ireland for immigration offences.
They arrived in Nigeria on Thursday aboard a chartered flight that left Dublin Airport on Wednesday night.
Irish Minister for Justice, Jim O’Callaghan, confirmed the deportation, saying, “Ireland has a rules-based immigration system. It is important that those rules are robust and enforced.”
He added that the flight experienced an unscheduled stop due to a medical emergency on board but continued without further incident.
The deportation was carried out by the Garda National Immigration Bureau in collaboration with Ireland’s Department of Justice.
According to An Garda Síochána, the operation aligns with their mandate to enforce the country’s immigration laws.
However, the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) said it was not informed of the development.
“We were not aware of the deportation of the Nigerians by Ireland on Thursday,” said NiDCOM spokesperson, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, in an interview with PUNCH.
This marks another round of deportations since Ireland resumed the use of chartered flights earlier this year.
In February, 32 people were deported to Georgia at a cost of €102,476, followed by the removal of another 39 to Tbilisi in May.
Minister O’Callaghan had earlier warned that those not entitled to asylum should not travel to Ireland.
The Department of Justice noted that charter services have made it easier for immigration authorities to remove individuals without legal status.
Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.
