Republic of Ireland Deports 35 Nigerians

Thirty five Nigerians have been deported back home from Ireland for flouting various immigration offences in the European country.

Five children and nine women were among those deported, the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB), which led the operation, said I’m a statement

The children were members of the family deported, the agency clarified.

“All individuals were removed on a chartered flight which left Dublin Airport last night, Wednesday, June 4, 2025, for Nigeria,” the statement said in part.

The deportation of 35 Nigerians was the first charter flight to Africa this year by the Ireland government, according to the statement.

“Ireland has a rules-based immigration system. It is important that those rules are robust and enforced. The return of people whose applications have been refused and deportation orders have issued is the foundation of any modern rules-based immigration process,” Ireland’s Justice Minister, Jim O’Callaghan, was quoted as saying on the development.

“People coming to Ireland must follow the appropriate pathways for legal migration, and these pathways must be adhered to and protected for our immigration system to work fairly and effectively.

“If a person’s application for international protection is refused and they are ordered to leave the State, they must do so,” he added.

“This is the third charter operation this year. Removal operations of this nature send a clear message that there are consequences for people who remain in our country without permission and underscore this Government’s intention to protect the integrity of our immigration system.

He added that all the deportees safely arrived in Nigeria despite the fact that the chartered flight was forced to make an unscheduled stop as a result of medical emergency.

“The flight was required to make an unscheduled stop due to a medical incident on board, but I am happy to say that the flight was able to resume its journey with all 35 returnees arriving safely in Nigeria this morning,” the Irish Minister said.