Hundreds of protesters, on Tuesday, February 10, stormed the Irish Department of Justice in Dublin to demand the halting of a deportation order issued against a Nigerian woman and her three sons in south Dublin, Ireland.
Titilayo Oluwakemi Oyekanmi and her three sons, Samuel, Joseph and Genesis, were issued a deportation order after their asylum application was rejected and their appeal was unsuccessful.
Oyekanmi, who hails from Nigeria, came to Ireland alongside her three children from South Africa to seek asylum in late 2023 after she was beaten by a gang and threatened at gunpoint.
Following the rejection of their asylum application, the department of justice issued a deportation order in April 2025, with all the members of the family expected to leave the country today, Thursday, February 12.
However, scores of people, including schoolchildren, neighbours and friends, joined the protest in Dublin city, appealing to the department not to proceed with the deportation, adding that removing the family from the community would affect them negatively.
Many protesters also submitted different letters seeking to overturn the deportation decision by the Irish authorities.
One of the protesters, Cara McGennis, said the Oyekanmi family had brought so much richness to the community, appealing for the opportunity for the family to continue living a good life in the country.
“We should be giving this family an opportunity to continue to live a good life. They see this country as their home. My son, Charlie, came home to me full of stories about this incredible sportsperson, and he was just in awe of this wonderful boy who is kind and heartfelt and who is brilliant in class,” McGennise stated.
She further expressed optimism that the Irish minister for justice would reconsider the decision to deport the family on Thursday.
“These are good people, and they’ve been here for three years. They’ve put down roots in our community, and they have added so much to our community, and we want them to stay,” McGennise added.
“We want to make sure that Joseph, his mum, his brothers, that they feel our support, and we want to make sure that the minister for justice knows that this is a family that is an addition to Ireland.”
Another protester, Simon Matthews, noted that people in the community were hugely empathetic towards the Oyekanmi family, citing their deep integration with the community.
“They have really integrated with the community. They have given a huge amount back. Titi, the children’s mum, is a volunteer in the church. The kids are amazing. People love them and ultimately want them to stay,” Matthews stated.
The family’s solicitor, Stephen Kirwan, also said he was impressed with the level of support the protesters extended to the Oyekanmi family, describing the peaceful demonstration as massive.
“It is heartening to see young people from across the community, here in Dublin in particular, standing up for a family,” he stated.
Kirwan stressed the need for the country to strive towards a rules-based system founded on fairness and equity, describing the Irish deportation system as “inhumane”.
Meanwhile, the department of justice insisted that it had taken all necessary steps to manage international protection processes efficiently and effectively, while ensuring their integrity at all times.
“People can apply for international protection in Ireland if they have come to escape persecution in their own country or if they cannot return to their country because they have a well-founded fear for their safety,” it stated.
The department further clarified that the Oyekanmi family’s case had been considered in detail and that the appeal processes had been concluded.
“Before a deportation order is made, the person is offered assistance to return home voluntarily. This is the preferred option, and the department runs a voluntary return programme to assist people to return prior to a deportation order issuing,” it explained.
Comments