Ireland deported 35 Nigerians on Wednesday for violating various immigration laws.
A statement issued by the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB), which oversaw the operation, revealed that five children and nine women were among those deported.
The statement clarified that the children deported were part of family units.
“All individuals were removed on a chartered flight which left Dublin Airport last night, Wednesday, June 4, 2025, for Nigeria,” the GNIB statement read in part.
According to Irish Legal News, this marks the third such operation since Ireland began charter deportation flights in February 2025. However, this deportation of 35 Nigerians is the first charter flight to Africa this year.
Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan, commenting on the development, emphasized the importance of adhering to immigration rules.
“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,” O’Callaghan stated.
“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.
O’Callaghan further noted, “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 also disclosed that the flight experienced a minor delay due to an unscheduled stop caused by a medical incident onboard. “I am happy to say that the flight was able to resume its journey with all 35 returnees arriving safely in Nigeria this morning,” he concluded.