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 to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.
Musa stated that the 162 evacuees including 94 male, 41 female, 14 children and 11 infants were expected to arrive at 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 a series of evacuation exercises of stranded Nigerians in Libya.
This, Musa explained, was in fulfilment of the Federal Government’s pledge of not allowing any of its citizens to 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 Federal Commissioner, National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRI), Imaan Suleiman-Ibrahim, also disclosed that about 500,000 Nigerians would be repatriated from Chad, Niger, Cameroon, Mali, Libya and other countries in 2022.
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