Thirty-six Nigerians have been deported from four European countries in a joint operation that also saw five Ghanaians and one Gambian returned to Africa.
The deportees were flown to Lagos, Nigeria, and Accra, Ghana, on a chartered flight between Wednesday night and Thursday morning.
The operation involved Austria, Germany, Luxembourg and Hungary.
Germany accounted for the largest number of deportees, with 35 people on the flight, comprising 29 Nigerians, five Ghanaians and one Gambian.
Austria deported three Nigerians, while Luxembourg and Hungary deported two and one Nigerian respectively.
One of the three Nigerians deported from Austria had previously been convicted of drug-related offences.
Austria Vows to Continue Deportations
Austria’s Interior Minister said the country would continue deporting people who are residing illegally as well as foreign nationals convicted of criminal offences.
The minister said the government was pursuing what he described as a consistent deportation policy aimed at reducing illegal migration and removing criminal offenders.
“The negative net migration is being continued through a consistent deportation policy,” the minister said.
He added that Austrian authorities had never previously removed as many illegal residents and criminal offenders as they did during the first half of the year.
“We will continue on this necessary path undeterred,” he said.
Germany Steps Up Deportation of Nigerians
The latest operation comes amid an increase in the deportation of Nigerians from Germany.
Between February and June 2026, Germany deported 137 Nigerians through five separate chartered flights.
The deportations included 27 Nigerians in February, 37 in March, 24 in April, 23 in May and 26 in June.
European countries have continued to remove foreign nationals who either have no legal right to remain in their territories or have been convicted of criminal offences.
The latest joint operation highlights the continued efforts by European governments to enforce immigration laws and remove individuals whose residence status does not meet legal requirements.