Eighty-five Nigerian nationals are appealing deportation orders through the courts, according to the Minister for Justice . Mr O'Donoghue said 3,404 out of 10,938 asylum-seekers last year were from Nigeria.

Mr Alan Shatter, Fine Gael's justice spokesman expressed concern that Nigerian asylum-seekers would be placed at serious risk if deported to Nigeria, because of religious and tribal fighting in that country.