Joe Odiboh has spent 8 years in Direct Provision before getting a deportation order issued on behalf of Minister for Justice and Equality Charlie Flanagan. Joe was born in Nigeria. He is a naturalised South African citizen. Joe left South Africa fearing for his life after rise in  xenophobic violence targeting foreign nationals, particularly from other African countries and Asia. 

The xenophobic violence in South Africa has not stopped. In fact, refugees fearing for their lives are camping outside UNHCR offices demanding resettlement to safe countries as they are not safe in South Africa. Returning Joe to South Africa would put his life in danger and is therefore a breach of the principle of non-refoulement. Not least because other naturalised South Africans have been granted refugee status in Ireland because of xenophobic violence in South Africa.

Minister Charlie Flanagan must consider Joe's time spent in Direct Provision, serving in the McMahon Working Group, an artist and writer who sought sanctuary in Ireland, threats to his life in South Africa, and revoke the deportation order.