Gladness Gideon
Ireland has deported 35 Nigerian nationals — including nine women and five children — over violations of immigration laws, marking the country’s first deportation flight to Africa this year.
The group was removed on a chartered flight that departed Dublin Airport on the night of Wednesday, June 4, and arrived in Nigeria Thursday morning. According to the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB), which coordinated the operation, the children were part of family groups.
This was the third charter deportation flight conducted by Ireland in 2025, following two earlier removals to European destinations.
Ireland’s Minister for Justice, Jim O’Callaghan, defended the move, saying the government is committed to enforcing a rules-based immigration system.
“It is important that these rules are robust and enforced,” he said.
“If someone’s application for international protection is refused and they are ordered to leave the State, they must do so.”
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O’Callaghan added that operations like this are necessary to maintain public confidence in the country’s asylum and immigration procedures.
He also confirmed the flight made an unscheduled stop due to a medical emergency, but the situation was resolved and all deportees arrived safely.
The deportation comes amid rising political pressure on European governments to tighten migration controls. Ireland began using chartered flights for deportations in February 2025, signaling a shift toward more structured removals for those who exhaust all legal avenues to remain.
No names were released, in accordance with privacy laws.