180 Nigerians return from Libya with FG, IOM support

From Okwe Obi, Abuja

The Federal Government have received 180 Nigerian migrants from Libya.

The government stated that their return was facilitated by the Nigerian mission in Tripoli and the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

Federal Commissioner of the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), Honourable Aliyu Tijani Ahmed, explained in a statement that the reception exercise took place at the cargo terminal of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

Ahmed, who was represented by NCFRMI Southwest Zonal Coordinator, Alexander Oturu, confirmed that the reception was conducted at the cargo terminal of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport.

He stated that, in line with Mr President’s Renewed Hope Agenda, the returnees would be integrated into various government programmes, as well as the reintegration programmes of the UN Migration Agency, IOM.

According to him, the migrants were transported to the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency camp, where the NCFRMI and IOM have a tripartite agreement to provide temporary shelter for returnees before they are given onward transportation allowances to reach their final destinations.

Ahmed revealed that there were 76 males, 92 females, eight children, and four infants on board the IOM-chartered flight from Libya.

The Edo State Migration Agency, led by its Director General, Lucky Agazuma, also attended the reception to arrange free transportation for Edo State indigenes to Benin, the Edo State capital.

Officers from the NCFRMI and the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) profiled the migrants, while officers from Port Health, FAAN, the Federal Ministry of Labour (Migrants Resource Centre), Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Child Protection Network, and Web of Hearts Foundation were also present to provide assistance.