- Ireland spent €324,714 (₦577m) to deport 35 Nigerians to Lagos.
- Deportees had violated previous orders, says Irish Justice Minister.
- NiDCOM says no issue; countries can deport without notifying Nigeria.
The Irish government has revealed it spent €324,714, equivalent to about N577m, to hire a chartered flight for the deportation of 35 Nigerians to Lagos.
EKO HOT BLOG reports that this was according to an Irish news outlet Raidió Teilifís Éireann, RTÉ News.
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The News platform said the flight, which took off from Dublin Airport, conveyed 21 Nigerian men, nine women, and five children.
Through the medium, Ireland’s Minister for Justice, Jim O’Callaghan, said the cost of the chartered flight, explaining that it was carried out by An Garda Síochána, Department of Justice staff, and prison officers, who accompanied the deportees on the flight.
O’Callaghan said although the flight made an unscheduled stop due to a medical incident on board, all 35 returnees arrived in Nigeria on Thursday morning.
The Minister noted that this was the third time the country had used a chartered flight for deportees this year, stressing that the operations underscored its strict enforcement of deportation rules.
He explained that the Nigerian deportees failed to comply with an earlier deportation order served to them.
O’Callaghan said, “People need to know that if they are served with a deportation order, it hasmeaning, and the meaning is that you are not entitled to stay in Ireland.
“If it is the case that you’re not permitted to stay, whether you have overstayed your work visa or haven’t been granted asylum, there must be a consequence.”
AsAt pm on Saturday, the exchange rate stood at approximately N1,777.43 per €1. Therefore, €324,714 is equivalent to about N577m in Nigerian currency.
The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, NiDCOM through its spokesperson, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, said there was no issue with the deportation and that the Irish government didn’t have to inform the commission before deporting any Nigerian.
Balogun said, “There is no big deal in that. They have been deporting Nigerians before now. So, the country doesn’t have to inform us when it is not NIDCOM that is bringing the people. They have been deporting people. Once you run afoul of the law of the land, they have the right to deport you. So they don’t have to inform us.”
The Irish government recommenced chartered flights for deportations in February 2025, with 106 people deported through this channel so far, according to Irish media.
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Meanwhile, the Irish Department of Justice added that the charter operations will be carried out throughout the year, as 2,403 deportation orders were signed in 2024.
