Minister urged to halt deportation of Nigerian family

Justice Minister Brian Lenihan is coming under pressure to prevent the imminent deportation of a Nigerian woman and her two daughters.

Pamela Izevbekhai has been ordered to report to the Beleskin deportation centre in north Dublin this morning with her five-year-old and seven-year-old girls.

She has argued that they will face female genital mutilation in their homeland, where another of her daughters has already died after being subjected to the cultural practice.

However, she has lost her legal bid to remain in Ireland.

Several groups are calling on Mr Lenihan to overturn the deportation order on humanitarian grounds.