2,044 Nigerians Repatriated From Libya In 8 Months – NEMA

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said it has repatriated 2,044 Nigerians stranded in the crisis-ridden Libya.

This was disclosed by the director-general of NEMA, Mustapha Habib Ahmed, against the backdrop of the arrival of latest 174 stranded Nigerians to Nigeria from Libya, at the Cargo wing of Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on Tuesday.

LEADERSHIP recalls that the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), in collaboration with European Union (EU) has been repatriating thousands of stranded Nigerians from various countries since 2017 through a Special Assisted Voluntary Repatriation Programme (SAVP) .

The NEMA DG, who was represented by the Lagos Territorial Office coordinator, Ibrahim Farinloye, said in 2022, the agency received 12 flights, with 2,044 Nigerians that were stranded in Libya, but assisted them back into the country.

Giving details of the repatriation, he said, “Out of those brought back are, 848 male adults, 719 female adults, 180 children and 123 infants.

“The aircraft landed at the cargo Wing of the Murtala Muhammad International Airport at about 1535 hours. The profiles of the Returnees show that 69 female adults; 5 female children and 10 female infants were brought back.

“Also aboard the flight are 75 male adults, 12 male children and 3 male infants. Among the returnees are 23 with minor medical cases.”

Agencies present to receive the returnees were Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS); Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN); Refugee Commission, National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Federal Ministry of Health and the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).