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At least 35 Nigerians have been deported from the Republic of Ireland and the number includes five children.
They were all flown to Nigeria in a chartered flight that left the Dublin Airport on Wednesday night.
According to the Irish Mirror, the number is made up of 21 men, nine women, and five children.
Read Also: UK Deports 43 Nigerians, Including Failed Asylum Seekers
They have landed in Nigeria on Thursday.
Irish Minister for Justice, Jim O’Callaghan, said he was “happy to say” that all of them have returned to Nigeria despite an unscheduled stopover due to a medical incident on board.
Although the Irish government did not give a specific reason for the deportation of the Nigerian nationals, O’Callaghan explained that, “Ireland has a rules-based immigration system.
“It is important that those rules are robust and enforced.”
In other news, the United Kingdom has deported 43 Nigerians as part of its latest move to tighten immigration controls, according to a report published on the official government website, gov.uk, on Friday.
Among those deported were 15 failed asylum seekers and 11 foreign national offenders who had completed their prison sentences. Additionally, seven others voluntarily left the UK as part of the operation.
The deportation flight forms part of the government’s broader “Plan for Change”, aimed at restoring discipline within the immigration system by ensuring that those without the legal right to remain are swiftly removed.
This marks the second deportation flight to Nigeria and Ghana since the last general election, bringing the total number of deportees under the new administration to 87.
Officials highlighted the growing collaboration between the UK and Nigeria on migration management.
Since the current government took office, more than 24,000 persons have been deported — an 11 per cent increase compared to the same period last year. Deportations of foreign national offenders have also seen a 16 per cent rise, with 3,594 criminals removed.
Authorities stressed that all deportations are carried out “in a dignified and respectful manner.”
Speaking on the development, the UK Minister for Border Security and Asylum, Angela Eagle, said: “This flight demonstrates how international partnerships deliver on working people’s priorities for swift returns and secure borders.
