By Ado Oyeyemi
Germany deported no fewer than 137 Nigerians in five separate chartered operations between February and June 2026, according to figures contained in migration reports reviewed by The PUNCH.
The deportations involved 27 Nigerians in February, 37 in March as part of a larger European Union operation involving 50 people, while 24, 23 and 26 Nigerians were returned in April, May and June respectively.
The figures point to the continued use of organised charter flights by Germany and other European countries to enforce deportation orders involving Nigerian nationals.
The first documented operation took place on February 18, when 27 Nigerians arrived at the Lagos Cargo Airport following their deportation from Germany.
A report by Refugees4refugees.org said the flight, operated by World2fly, departed Stuttgart and landed in Lagos shortly before 2pm.
Germany was identified as the main country responsible for the operation, although one deportee, reportedly transferred from Slovakia because of serious health and mental health concerns, was also on the flight.
The report identified Baden-Württemberg as a major participant in the deportation exercise, noting that Stuttgart had previously hosted another deportation flight to Nigeria in December 2025.
It also raised concerns about the removal of some vulnerable individuals, including people who had reportedly lived and worked in Germany for several years.
One case cited involved a single mother and her three children who were deported from the Sindelfingen district in Stuttgart despite reportedly possessing documents relating to their residency status.
The family was subsequently able to return to Germany after a volunteer intervened and local foreign authorities reportedly confirmed that the deportation had been carried out in error.
The February operation also coincided with Nigeria’s preparations for its Voluntary National Review of the Global Compact for Migration ahead of the 2026 International Migration Review Forum in New York.
The DERS Team reportedly said no representatives of Nigerian government agencies were present at the airport to receive the deportees.
It added that the returnees were taken away from the airport without what it described as adequate support.
On March 10, a further 50 people were deported to Nigeria in a joint European operation hosted by Germany, with Spain, Austria and Belgium also participating.
Of the 50 deportees, Germany was responsible for 37, according to the available figures.
The operation was described in the report as the largest single deportation involving Nigerians during the period under review.
Another 24 Nigerians, including women and a minor, were returned on April 9 aboard a chartered flight from Frankfurt reportedly organised with the involvement of Frontex and German authorities.
In May, 23 Nigerians were deported in another operation, while an additional 26 arrived in Lagos on June 17 following a further chartered flight from Germany.
The five operations brought the total number of Nigerians deported from Germany during the five-month period to 137.
The development highlights the growing reliance on coordinated charter flights in the enforcement of migration decisions involving Nigerians living in Europe.
Migration rights groups have continued to call for stronger safeguards during deportation exercises, particularly for children, people with serious health concerns and other vulnerable migrants.
They have also stressed the need for thorough verification procedures to minimise the risk of wrongful deportation.
The factors driving migration vary and may include economic hardship, conflict, insecurity, exploitation and environmental pressures.
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Migration can occur within national borders or across countries, influencing population patterns, labour markets and communities.
