Nigerian wins court reprieve against deportation

A Nigerian woman, who claims she will be stoned to death if forced to return home, today succeeded in her 11th-hour High Court bid to halt her deportation.

Nimota Kate Banidele, aged 38, could be stoned to death in Nigeria under strict Sharia laws as she had three children outside marriage with a Christian man.

She was sentenced to death in her home country in August 2002 but she escaped from prison and fled to Ireland seeking asylum.

High Court Justice Eamon de Valera granted her a temporary injunction against being deported until September 9.

Ms Banidele appealed for the public to phone or fax the Minister for Justice, Michael McDowell, to ask for her to be granted asylum.

The 38-year-old was supposed to turn up at 10am today at the Garda National Bureau of Immigration to be deported after her application for asylum failed.

She said: “I am very sad about going back to Nigeria, if I go back there I will be killed. So I am not happy about that.”

On the support she received from the Irish public, she said: “They have been helping me and the residents against racism led by Rosanna, they have been trying their best. I do hope that the minister should please help me.”