The Federal Government, with the assistance of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), repatriated 102 more Nigerian irregular migrants who had been released from Libyan prison facilities on Tuesday.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Amb. Kabiru Musa, Charge d’Affaires En Titre of the Nigerian Mission in Libya, revealed this.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the exercise comes just twenty-four hours after the IOM and the Nigerian Mission in Libya deported twenty-one additional Nigerian irregular migrants.
According to Musa, the evacuees boarded chartered flight no. UZ 189 at 1:00 p.m. local time and is anticipated to arrive at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos the same day.
“With the support of the IOM and the Libyan authorities, we have successfully evacuated another batch of stranded Nigerians in Libya after we facilitated their release from detention centers in Libya.
“Among the evacuees are 94 female adults, four male children, and four female children.
“They are being evacuated under the Voluntary Humanitarian Repatriation (VHR) programme. The exercise further demonstrates the Federal government’s commitment to ensuring that no Nigerian is left stranded abroad.
“I advised the returnees to desist from irregular migration which involves travelling to a foreign country without valid travel documents or visa. It is risky and makes them susceptible to abuse.
“They were also enlightened on the deception of human traffickers who use fake promises to lure them into modern day slavery and sexual exploitation.
“I have also admonished them to become vanguards for the fight against trafficking in persons which is a crime against humanity and a dent to the good image of Nigeria when they return home.
“The federal government is committed to the safe, orderly return of irregular migrants so as not leave them suffer deprivation while in detention. We have to work together with relevant authorities to end the menace of human trafficking and irregular migration,” Musa said.
Musa expressed gratitude for the returnees’ commitments to never embark on such risky journeys again and to always pursue regular avenues for migration in the future if necessary.
They also swore to fight crime once they were reunited with their family.
According to NAN, the Federal Government has successfully returned about 5,000 stranded Nigerians in Libya under the VHR since 2021, with over 800 evacuated in eight activities in 2023 alone.
