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Germany deported at least 137 Nigerians across five charter flights between February and June 2026, signalling a broader European push to accelerate migrant returns and tighten immigration enforcement.
Migration advocacy organisation Refugees4Refugees documented the flights arriving in Lagos, which included individual German operations as well as joint missions coordinated with Frontex and partner nations like Austria, Spain, and Belgium.
The increased deportations reflect a major policy shift under Chancellor Friedrich Merz to speed up asylum rejections and simplify removals, even as overall irregular migration into Europe drops.
Border agency Frontex reported a nearly 40 per cent decline in irregular crossings during the first five months of 2026, while German federal police recorded a noticeable drop in unauthorised entries.
Despite falling numbers, European governments continue to expand multinational return flights, depending heavily on cooperation with African nations like Nigeria to enforce stricter migration rules.
