Supreme Court Orders Release of Nigerian Detained for Deportation

The Supreme Court ordered the release of a Nigerian national detained for deportation, ruling his continued detention illegal due to authorities' non-compliance with review procedures and lack of due diligence in his removal.

The decision was issued by Justice Christoforos Malachtos following a habeas corpus application. The Nigerian has been detained since September 7, 2025.

The applicant had applied for international protection on August 18, 2021, which was rejected. An appeal against the decision is pending. After his arrest, detention and deportation orders were issued, but the deportation order was suspended to investigate his family situation.

The Court found no evidence of approval or review of the notes for the continuation of detention by the Deputy Minister of Migration and International Protection, as required by law.

Furthermore, it was found that the applicant lives in Cyprus with his partner and their two minor children. The Court took into account the potential impact on the family from his immediate removal.

The Supreme Court approved the habeas corpus application and ordered the immediate release of the applicant, awarding him costs of €950, to be paid by the Republic of Cyprus.