The National Emergency Management Agency has confirmed receiving 171 stranded Nigerians from Libya.
The returnees arrived at the Murtala Muhammad International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos State, on Tuesday, according to a statement on NEMA’s social media handles.
The returnees were brought into the country on an Al-Buraq aircraft Boeing 737-500 with registration no: 5A-DMG.
Officials of the NEMA Lagos Territorial Office, along with other stakeholders, such as the Nigeria Immigration Service, International Organisation for Migration, Port Health, Federal Airport Authority, and others, were on the ground to provide basic humanitarian support for the returnees upon their arrival.
“The repatriated Nigerians are 41 female adults, 115 male adults, one female child, six male children, four female infants and four male infants. No medical case was recorded.
“In addition to the reception given, the returnees are expected to undergo basic business skill training, counselling and necessary medical assistance at the Transit Camp in Lagos as part of the reintegration programme before their final release to their various destinations by the IOM,” NEMA said.
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In mid-August, NEMA, in collaboration with other stakeholders, received 149 returnees from the Niger Republic. The agency noted that the returnees’ arrival in Lagos was facilitated by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Mission in Niger Republic. Among the returnees, two individuals sustained leg injuries.
Earlier this year, the Kano Territorial Office of NEMA reported that it repatriated 975 stranded Nigerians from Niger Republic in 2023.
The agency has since advised Nigerian youths to avoid risking their lives through irregular migration in pursuit of greener pastures abroad.
