The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the Federal Government on Tuesday repatriated 162 more stranded Nigerians from Libya under its continuous voluntary evacuation exercise.
Mr Kabiru Musa, Charge d’ Affairs of the Nigerian Mission in Libya, disclosed this in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.
Musa stated that the 162 evacuees including 94 male, 41 female, 14 children and 11 infant were expected to arrive the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos on Tuesday.
He stated that the Nigerian Mission in Libya under the directives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had carried out series of evacuation exercise of stranded Nigerians in Libya.
This, Musa explained, was in fulfilment of the Federal Government’s pledged of not allowing any of its citizen remain stranded abroad.
Musa stated that the stranded evacuees were victims of irregular migration, human trafficking, forced labour.
According to him, the returnees departed the Mitiga International airport on flight no. 5A-DMG, at 10.45 local time and arrived at the Murtala Mohammed international airport at 15.15 Nigerian time on Tuesday.
“The Federal Government has vowed to bring back stranded Nigerians facing challenges in Libya.
“In this regard, the exercise will be ongoing as part of the mission’s consular responsibilities to Nigerian citizens,” Musa said.
Musa said the evacuees would be received on arrival by government officials who will facilitate their reintegration and reunite them with their families.
The charge d’ affairs said the Mission would continue to work closely with the Libyan Authorities to ensure stranded Nigerians willing to return home are safely evacuated.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Federal Commissioner, National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRI), Imaan Suleiman-Ibrahim disclosed that about 500,000 Nigerians would be repatriated from Chad, Niger, Cameroon, Mali, Libya and other countries in 2022.The National Commissioner disclosed this when she appeared before the House of Representatives Committee on Internally Displaced Persons and Refugees on Monday to defend the 2022 budget proposal of her agency.She had during her presentation revealed that Nigeria was to host about 73,000 refugees from 23 countries with over 500,000 Nigerians awaiting repatriation from Chad, Niger, Cameroon, Mali, Libya and other countries. (NAN)
