The Federal Government has repatriated 22 family members of slain members of terrorist group, Islamic State, from Libya on Friday.
The ex-ISIS family members were part of the 100 Nigerians stranded in the war-torn country.
A statement on Saturday by the Head, Media, Public Relations and Protocols, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, titled, ‘FG facilitates return of 101 stranded Nigerians.’
The statement read, “The stranded Nigerians include the 22 family members of suspected former members of ISIS that were killed in Libya as well as their children.”
Also, the Chargé D’affaires en titre of the Nigerian Embassy in Libya, Kabiru Musa, who disclosed this in a statement those to be repatriated are victims of human trafficking and those detained in Libyan prisons for migration offences.
He said the evacuation was being carried out under the coordination of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Nigeria with the support of the Ministry of Defence.
“Under special arrangements, NAF aircraft C-130 H evacuated 100 stranded Nigerians detained in various Libyan prisons after they had served respective jail terms,” he said.
“The aircraft arrived Tripoli on Friday, 13th August 2021 at 2pm local time for the evacuation exercise.
“The repatriated Nigerians included men, women and children some of whom are either victims of human trafficking or of ISIS reign of terror held captives for several years until their captors were killed.
“Others were jailed for committing migration offenses.
“The Embassy in fulfilling its obligations to Nigerian citizens exerted efforts with coordination of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to ensure the return of the Nigerians home and to reunite them with their families.
“The exercise was successfully carried out with the support of the Ministry of Defense which provided the aircraft.
“The exercise will be a continuous one until all Nigerians stranded in Libya are returned home. Already, another batch of 100 Nigerians are set to be evacuated in ten days.”
