The Republic of Ireland has reportedly spent €324,714 (about N577 million) to deport 35 Nigerians to Lagos via a chartered flight on Wednesday night, according to a report by Irish broadcaster RTÉ News.
The flight, which departed from Dublin Airport, carried 21 men, nine women, and five children, all of Nigerian nationality. The operation was overseen by members of An Garda Síochána (Ireland’s national police), staff from the Department of Justice, and prison officials.
Ireland’s Minister for Justice, Jim O’Callaghan, confirmed the cost of the operation and noted that it was part of a broader enforcement effort to ensure compliance with deportation laws. Although the flight made an unscheduled stop due to a medical emergency, all passengers were successfully returned to Nigeria by Thursday morning.
This marks the third deportation via chartered aircraft carried out by Ireland in 2025. The justice minister emphasized that these measures are necessary to uphold immigration laws.
“When individuals are issued a deportation order, it must be taken seriously,” O’Callaghan stated. “If someone is not legally permitted to stay—whether due to overstaying a visa or being denied asylum—there must be consequences.”
As of Saturday afternoon, the exchange rate was approximately ₦1,777.43 to €1, making the cost of the deportation roughly ₦577 million in Nigerian currency.
Responding to the development, the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), through its spokesperson Abdur-Rahman Balogun, said the Irish authorities were under no obligation to inform the commission ahead of the deportation.
“There’s really nothing unusual about this. Deportations happen regularly,” Balogun explained. “It’s within their rights to repatriate individuals who violate their immigration laws, and they’re not required to inform us if we’re not facilitating the return.”
Ireland resumed the use of chartered flights for deportation purposes in February 2025. So far, 106 individuals have been removed using this method. The Department of Justice has indicated that more such flights will occur this year, following the issuance of over 2,400 deportation orders in 2024.
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