Ireland spends over N577m to deport 35 Nigerians

In a high-profile deportation operation, the Irish government has returned 35 Nigerians to Lagos, spending a total of €324,714 (about ₦577 million) on a specially chartered flight from Dublin.

The deportation took place on Wednesday night and involved 21 men, nine women, and five children, according to reports by Ireland’s national broadcaster, Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ).

Ireland’s Minister for Justice, Jim O’Callaghan, confirmed the cost of the operation, stating that it required the coordination of multiple government bodies. Officials from An Garda Síochána (Irish police), the Department of Justice, and the Irish Prison Service were all involved in escorting the deportees to ensure the process was carried out efficiently and securely.

Though the flight experienced an unscheduled stop due to a medical emergency onboard, all deportees eventually arrived in Nigeria on Thursday morning, the minister said.

This marks the third use of a chartered aircraft for deportations by Ireland in 2025, part of what the justice minister described as a firm enforcement approach toward immigration regulations.

“People need to know that if they are served with a deportation order, it has meaning, and the meaning is that you are not entitled to stay in Ireland,” O’Callaghan said.

He further stated that the deportees had disregarded prior deportation orders.

“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,” he added.

As of Saturday afternoon, the official exchange rate placed the euro at around ₦1,777.43, placing the cost of the flight near ₦577 million.

Commenting on the development, the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) clarified that it had no involvement in the operation. Its spokesperson, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, said Ireland was not obligated to notify the commission beforehand.

“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. So they don’t have to inform us,” Balogun stated.

Ireland resumed deportations via chartered flights earlier this year. So far, 106 individuals have been repatriated using this method in 2025. The Irish Department of Justice also confirmed that more deportations are scheduled in the coming months, with 2,403 deportation orders having been signed in 2024 alone.