At just 15 years old, Mustapha Sakariyau came to Ireland seeking safety. Because he was a child, he did not have the opportunity to make his own application for international protection and was included as a dependant on his father's application. Ireland soon became his home. He went to school, made lifelong friends, and dedicated himself to serving the country that had given him hope.

Mustapha became a youth leader who worked tirelessly to improve the lives of young people across Ireland. He served as Vice Chairperson of Dublin City Comhairle na nÓg, participated in Dáil na nÓg, worked with the Department of the Taoiseach, Foróige, the Ombudsman for Children, and many other organisations. He spent his time giving back to his community because he believed that when a country gives you an opportunity, you should give something back in return.

Before coming to Ireland, Mustapha survived sexual assault in South Africa. The trauma left him with severe Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), supported by medical and psychological reports. While living in Ireland, he also developed Type 1 diabetes and became insulin-dependent. Despite these challenges, he slowly began rebuilding his life. He felt safe, he was healing, he was preparing for his Leaving Certificate, and he finally believed his future could be different from his past.

Then everything changed.

On the day he was due to speak at Trinity College Dublin to inspire other young people, members of An Garda Síochána contacted his father and asked him to come to meet them. He was told it would only take around twenty minutes. Instead, he says he was detained alongside his father only days before a scheduled court hearing concerning their deportation.

During his detention, Mustapha repeatedly explained that he suffered from severe PTSD caused by sexual assault. He says he was terrified whenever male officers opened his cell door because it triggered memories of his past trauma. According to his account, he became so overwhelmed that he urinated on himself several times but was not provided with a change of clothes. As an insulin-dependent Type 1 diabetic, he was also deeply worried about his medical care while detained.

Before he was removed from Ireland, Mustapha says he repeatedly told members of An Garda Síochána, staff while he was in detention, and officers at the airport that he wanted to make an application for international protection in his own right after turning 18. He believes that request was never registered or considered before he was deported.

His deportation sent him back to the country where his trauma began. Overnight, he lost his education, his medical treatment, his support network, his friends, and the community he had spent years serving. The progress he had made in recovering from his trauma was shattered, and his mental health has deteriorated significantly since his return.

This petition is not asking for special treatment. It is asking for compassion, fairness, and a careful review of a young man's case.

We respectfully ask the Irish Government to reconsider Mustapha Sakariyau's case in light of his humanitarian and medical circumstances, his contributions to Irish society, the life he built in Ireland, and his account that he repeatedly sought to make an application for international protection before he was removed.

Mustapha gave his time, his energy, and his voice to Ireland. He believed in its values of fairness, compassion, and community. Today, we ask Ireland to extend those same values to him.

Bring Mustapha Home. Give his case the fair and compassionate humanitarian review it deserves.