With the assistance of the Nigerian embassy, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), and the Libyan Directorate for Combating Illegal Migration (DCIM), 148 Nigerian migrants—including women and children—have been repatriated from Libya.
A Voluntary Humanitarian Return (VHR) flight from Tripoli’s Mitiga International Airport took the migrants back to Lagos State. The group included eight children, 124 women, and 13 men, according to Migrant Rescue Watch, which made the announcement on Wednesday.
The repatriation is a part of continuous attempts to help migrants who are stuck in Libya, where many of them endure incarceration, exploitation, and difficult living circumstances.
Libya has been a prominent transit location for migrants trying to enter Europe from the Mediterranean throughout the years, many putting their lives in danger on the treacherous route.
The bodies of 28 migrants were found by investigators at a detention center in the southern Libyan desert and 76 migrants were released from the facility by security personnel according to report on February 10.
The National Emergency Management Agency of Nigeria, Lagos Territorial Office, and other stakeholders received another group of 148 Nigerian returnees from Libya on Tuesday, the agency said in a statement released on Wednesday on its X Twitter.
NEMA said that the returnees, in a Boeing chartered jet with registration number 5A-BAA, arrived at Murtala Muhamed International Airport Cargo at 17.35 hours.
In collaboration with NEMA, NCFRMI, Nigeria Immigration Service, DSS, Port Health, and Nigeria Police Force, IOM provided them with the assistance they required.
“The profile of Returnees shows 124 adult females, 13 adult males, 5 children and 3 infants.
“After the mandatory profiling and biometric exercise, the Returnees were moved to for further reintegration programmes spearheaded by IOM.”
IREPORT247NEW reported on January 14, 390 Nigerian migrants who were stuck in Niamey, Niger Republic, were also sent back to their homeland.