Ireland on Wednesday deported 35 Nigerians for flouting various immigration offences.
A statement from the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB), which led the operation, said Immigration officials confirmed that five children and nine women were among those deported.
The children removed were all part of family groups.
“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.
Although an earlier report by Irish Legal News noted that the latest deportation was the third of such operations since Ireland launched charter deportation flights in February 2025, the deportation of 35 Nigerians was the first charter flight to Africa this year.
“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,” the news platform quoted the Justice Minister, Jim O’Callaghan, as stating 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.
However, “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.
“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 revealed.