Family at centre of protest deported back to South Africa

"Ms Oyekanmi, who is of Nigerian heritage, fled South Africa with her sons after heightened xenophobia against people of her ethnicity resulted in her being kidnapped and told to leave the country. However, the family received a deportation order last year after their asylum application was rejected in Ireland, with the Department of Justice deeming South Africa a 'safe country of origin'."

"The Department of Justice confirmed today that a total of 63 people, including nine children, were deported to South Africa on a charter flight yesterday evening at 5:05pm from Dublin Airport. Accompanying them were members of An Garda Síochána, medical staff, an interpreter and a human rights observer."

"What sort of system is going on here where people are being pulled out halfway through their life with no compassion and no empathy. It strikes us that this is a minister who's kind of lost the run of himself a little bit."

Ireland conducted a charter flight deportation on Saturday, removing 63 people including nine children to South Africa at a cost of €585,075. Among those deported was Titilayo Oluwakemi Oyekanmi and her three sons, who had lived in Dublin since 2023 after fleeing South Africa due to xenophobic violence and kidnapping threats against her Nigerian heritage. Their asylum application was rejected, with Irish authorities classifying South Africa as a safe country of origin. The family had been living in accommodation in Dublin before removal. This represents the second major deportation operation and eighth charter flight since 2025. The deportation included Gardaí, medical staff, interpreters, and human rights observers. Critics argue the approach lacks compassion and empathy.

Read at Irish Independent