Ireland deports 35 Nigerians, including 5 children

At least 35 Nigerian nationals, among them five children, were deported from the Republic of Ireland on Wednesday night aboard a chartered flight that left Dublin Airport and arrived in Nigeria on Thursday.

As reported by the Irish Mirror, the group consisted of 21 men, nine women, and five children.

Irish Minister for Justice, Jim O’Callaghan, confirmed the deportation, stating he was “happy to say” that all individuals had returned to Nigeria, despite an unscheduled landing prompted by a medical issue during the flight.

Although Irish authorities did not specify the grounds for the deportation, O’Callaghan emphasized the importance of adhering to immigration laws, saying, “Ireland has a rules-based immigration system. It is important that those rules are robust and enforced.”

In response to the development, the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) said it had not been notified in advance about the deportation.