In a major humanitarian effort, 203 Nigerians who were stranded in Libya have been successfully brought back home through the support of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM).
The returnees arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos on Monday at about 7:00 pm. They flew in on a chartered Al Buraq Boeing flight with the registration number 5A-BAC. Among them were 50 adult men, 96 adult women, 29 children, and 28 babies.
This evacuation was part of IOM’s Voluntary Humanitarian Return Programme, which helps stranded migrants return to their home countries in a safe and dignified way. NEMA worked alongside several Nigerian government agencies to make the return possible. These include:
- National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons
- Nigeria Immigration Service
- Department of State Services
- Port Health Services
- Nigeria Police Force
Upon arrival, the returnees went through profiling and biometric registration to confirm their identities. Two of them were found to be in poor health and were immediately taken to New Ikeja Hospital for medical treatment.
The rest of the returnees were transported to the Igando Internally Displaced Persons Resettlement Centre in Lagos. There, they will begin reintegration programs to help them adjust back into life in Nigeria. These programs include counseling, vocational training, and other support services.
NEMA emphasized that this is part of an ongoing mission to assist vulnerable Nigerians trapped abroad and to ensure they are brought home safely and with dignity.
