Labour attacks plan to deport Nigerian woman

The Labour Party has criticised what it says is an absence of immigration policy that could lead to the deportation of a woman…

The Labour Party has criticised what it says is an absence of immigration policy that could lead to the deportation of a woman who faces execution in her country of birth.

Ms Nimota Banidele (38) says she could be stoned to death if she is returned to Nigeria because she has had three children outside marriage.

She has been denied leave to remain in Ireland on humanitarian grounds and ordered to report to the Garda National Immigration Bureau's headquarters in Dublin next Thursday.

Labour justice spokesman, Mr Joe Costello said Ms Banidele's situation is further evidence of "cloak-and-dagger" deportations and suggests a mass deportation is imminent. The Garda have officially denied any such move is afoot.

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"It's ridiculous to have individual cases like this occurring again and again without any transparent structure and immigration policy as such," Mr Costello said.

"The manner in which such deportations are handled leaves no opportunity to contact lawyers, children are taken out of school - it causes massive disruption.

Ms Banidele is now considering seeking a judicial review of the decision to deport her.
 
Ms Rosanna Flynn, a spokeswoman for a group called Residents Against Racism, this week called on  the Minister for Justice, Mr McDowell, to "step in and stop this".

Ms Banidele says she fled Nigeria in 2002 after being arrested in Guacsu city in the northern state of Zamfara. She was jailed for having children outside marriage and was due to be stoned before she escaped.

She says she had separated from her partner and was living with her father when she was arrested under the strict interpretation of Sharia law operated by the ruling Muslim administration of the state.