Ireland on Wednesday deported 35 Nigerian nationals for breaching immigration laws, according to a statement from the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB), which oversaw the operation.
Among those deported were five children and nine women, with officials clarifying that the children were part of family groups.
All individuals were removed from the country on a chartered flight that departed Dublin Airport on the night of Wednesday, June 4, 2025, bound for Nigeria.
According to Irish Legal News, the operation marked the third charter deportation flight organised by Ireland this year and the first such flight to an African destination in 2025. Ireland began using chartered flights for deportations in February.
Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan emphasised the importance of enforcing immigration laws, stating:
“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.”
He added that individuals seeking to live in Ireland must follow legal migration pathways.
“If a person’s application for international protection is refused and they are ordered to leave the State, they must do so,” he said.
O’Callaghan noted that this was the third such operation conducted this year and said it “sends a clear message” about the consequences of remaining in Ireland without legal permission. He reiterated the government’s commitment to upholding the integrity of its immigration system.
The flight reportedly experienced an unscheduled stop due to a medical emergency onboard.
O’Callaghan said the issue was resolved and the plane continued its journey, with all 35 deportees arriving safely in Nigeria on Thursday morning.