Gardaí ‘preparing to deport dozens of Nigerians tonight’

A group campaigning against deportations in Ireland has claimed that gardaí are preparing to return dozens of Nigerians to their homeland on a secret charter flight tonight.

Residents Against Racism said large numbers of asylum seekers were being told to report to the immigration authorities this afternoon.

It said this usually happened just ahead of mass deportations that normally take place under the cover of darkness.

Residents Against Racism has accused the gardaí of deliberately carrying out these deportations away from the gaze of the media and NGOs.

It wants responsibility for all issues involving immigration to be transferred from the Department of Justice to the Human Rights Commission.