36 Nigerians Deported from Europe in Joint Operation

A coordinated European effort has resulted in the deportation of 36 Nigerian nationals from four countries: Austria, Germany, Luxembourg, and Hungary. The individuals were transported on a charter flight that departed between Wednesday night and Thursday morning, with Lagos, Nigeria, and Accra, Ghana, serving as the destinations.

Germany spearheaded the operation, with Austria, Luxembourg, and Hungary participating. Germany accounted for the largest contingent, with 35 individuals on board, including 29 Nigerians, five Ghanaians, and one Gambian. One of the three Nigerians deported from Austria had a prior conviction for drug-related offenses, according to reports.

Austria's Interior Minister, Gerhard Karner, affirmed the government's commitment to its deportation policy. He stated that the country would persist in removing illegal residents and criminal offenders, emphasizing a consistent policy to counteract negative net migration. Karner noted that the first half of the year saw more illegal residents and criminal offenders removed by Austrian authorities than ever before.

This latest deportation follows a series of similar operations by Germany, which deported 137 Nigerians on five chartered flights between February and June 2026. The deportations underscore a broader trend in European countries to remove foreign nationals who lack legal residency or have been convicted of crimes.

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The negative net migration is being continued through a consistent deportation policy. Never before have so many illegal residents and criminal offenders been removed from the country by Austrian authorities as in the first half of this year. We will continue on this necessary path undeterred.