Abuja, Dublin to sign deportation accord

Ireland and Nigeria will soon sign an agreement on the deportation of illegal Nigerian immigrants, AFP reported Irish Justice Minister John O’Donoghue as saying on Wednesday. Dublin, he said, might fund basic needs and poverty reduction progammes, such as skills training, for those being repatriated. Nigerians form the largest group of asylum seekers entering Ireland, AFP reported, accounting for more than 3,400 out of almost 11,000 applications last year. There is no direct transport link between Ireland and Nigeria and most immigrants enter the country through France or Britain. Ireland has introduced stringent measures to curb illegal immigration over the last two years, AFP reported.