No fewer than 708 stranded Nigerian migrants have been brought back home from Niamey, Republic of Niger, as the Federal Government commenced a large-scale evacuation targeting over 1,000 citizens.
The returnees touched down in Kano, in what officials described as the first phase of a coordinated humanitarian operation spearheaded by the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), alongside the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other relevant agencies.
The evacuation followed directives from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima, which is aimed at safeguarding Nigerians facing hardship abroad and facilitating their safe return.
Representing the NCFRMI Federal Commissioner, Field Coordinator Hajiya Lubah Liman said the migrants opted to return voluntarily after reaching out to the Nigerian Embassy in Niamey for assistance.
She said the evacuees departed Niamey aboard 12 buses arranged for the operation and arrived in Kano without any incident.
According to her, on arrival, the returnees were received at the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport, where they underwent biometric capture through the Migration Information and Data Analysis System.
They were subsequently relocated to the Immigration Training School in Kano for documentation, temporary accommodation, and humanitarian support, including feeding and medical attention.
She said the group comprised 292 males and 416 females, including 130 adult men, 183 adult women, 216 boys, and 179 girls.
“Though received in Kano, the migrants originated from various parts of the country, including Adamawa, Bauchi, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Edo, Gombe, Jigawa, Kaduna, Katsina, Kogi, Lagos, Niger, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, Zamfara, as well as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT),” she said
Officials further confirmed that after completing all necessary processing, the returnees were conveyed to their respective states.
