A gay Nigerian man who was among 35 passengers, including five children, forced to leave Ireland on a government-chartered flight in June 2025, has been granted permission to reapply for asylum after new evidence emerged of the severe dangers he faces at home.

The man, who is at risk of severe persecution in Nigeria due to his sexuality, explained that his situation in the country is now “very, very critical”. In Nigeria, same-sex activity punishments range from imprisonment of up to 14 years to corporal and capital punishment in some northern states.

In an interview with RTÉ, he revealed just how unsafe life had become for him since his return.“The situation is very, very critical. If I want to go outside I have to wear a hoody and cover my face using a face mask. It’s a very, very bad experience for me, honestly.”

The man first arrived in Ireland in 2020 and worked for much of the past five years on poultry farms in County Cavan and County Monaghan. He was deported in June 2025 under the Irish government’s intensified removals programme.

However, a new report from the International Protection Appeals Tribunal (IPAT) has concluded that there is “clear evidence” that he is wanted by the Nigerian authorities because of a relationship he had with another man over a decade ago. The tribunal accepted that he is gay and has been the subject of police bulletins in Nigeria calling for his arrest due to his sexuality

His solicitors highlighted online news reports seeking updates on his whereabouts after people in his community discovered his past relationship. The fresh decision by IPAT allows him to register a new asylum claim, but he has only 10 working days to do so.

This presents a major obstacle, as he is currently in Lagos, an almost 7,000-kilometre flight from Dublin, where he must attend a meeting at the International Protection Office. His solicitor, Ana Milward of Dublin-based Ferry Solicitors, has sought an extension to this deadline, arguing that the time frame is unreasonable given his location and the risks he faces.

After initially fleeing, the Nigerian man sought asylum in Italy. He later travelled to Ireland because of the lower barriers to entering the jobs market, the shared English language, and the legalities regarding his sexuality, which he felt would help him tell his story and navigate the asylum process.

He said, “I was like, ‘Okay, let me just go to a place where they are able to understand my story better. I can be able to express myself and all of that.’”

His first asylum application in Ireland was rejected due to insufficient documentation, and a deportation order was issued last summer before the new evidence could be presented. Now, with formal recognition from IPAT of the risks he faces in Nigeria, his legal team is working to ensure he can return to Ireland to submit his application and avoid further persecution.