Germany deported at least 137 Nigerians in five chartered flights between February and June 2026, according to data compiled by the DERS Team and Refugees4refugees.org.

The deportations were carried out in separate operations involving Germany and, in some cases, other European countries as authorities intensified efforts to enforce migration and deportation orders.

Records show that 27 Nigerians were deported from Germany in February, while 37 Nigerians were among 50 people returned to Nigeria in a joint European operation in March.

A further 24 Nigerians were deported in April, followed by 23 in May and 26 in June, bringing the total number of Nigerians returned during the five operations to 137.

The first operation took place on February 18, when 27 Nigerians arrived at the Lagos Cargo Airport on a chartered flight from Germany.

According to Refugees4refugees.org, the flight was operated by World2fly and departed Stuttgart before arriving in Lagos shortly before 2pm.

Germany was primarily responsible for the operation, while one person described as severely ill and mentally unfit was transferred from Slovakia to join the 26 others deported from Germany.

Baden-Württemberg was identified as a major participant in the operation. Stuttgart had also hosted a deportation flight to Nigeria in December 2025.

The report raised concerns about the circumstances surrounding some of the deportations, alleging that some returnees had serious health conditions, while others had lived and worked in Germany for several years.

One case involved a single mother and her three children who were deported from the Sindelfingen district of Stuttgart despite reportedly having documents relating to their residence status.

According to the report, the family was later able to return to Germany after a volunteer intervened and local foreign authorities confirmed that their deportation had been carried out in error.

The February deportation took place as Nigeria prepared 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 also alleged that Nigerian government agencies did not send representatives to receive the deportees at the airport and that the returnees were taken away without adequate assistance.

50 deported in joint European operation

On March 10, another 50 people were deported to Nigeria in a joint European Union operation hosted by Germany.

The operation involved Germany, Spain, Austria and Belgium, with Germany responsible for 37 of the deportations.

The operation was described as the largest single deportation involving Nigerians during the three-year period covered by the report.

On April 9, 24 Nigerians, including women and a minor, were returned to Nigeria on a chartered flight from Frankfurt organized through Frontex and German authorities.

Another 23 Nigerians were deported in May, while 26 arrived in Lagos on June 17 following another chartered flight.

The five operations resulted in the return of at least 137 Nigerians between February and June.

The figures highlight the continued use of organized charter flights by European authorities to enforce deportation orders involving Nigerian nationals.

Migration rights advocates have continued to call for stronger safeguards during deportation operations, particularly for vulnerable people, and for stricter procedures to prevent wrongful deportations.

They have also stressed the need for authorities to ensure that deportees receive appropriate support upon arrival and that their individual circumstances are properly assessed before removal.

Irregular migration is often driven by a combination of factors, including economic hardship, conflict, exploitation and climate-related challenges.

Migration generally refers to the movement of people within or across national borders, either temporarily or permanently, for reasons such as employment, education, safety and improved economic opportunities.