Authorities in Libya have transferred 18 Nigerian migrants who did not have proper documents from the Sirte Immigration Detention Center to the city of Sabha in the south. The migrants are now waiting to be sent back to Nigeria.

The movement happened on Monday, September 15, under the watch of Libya’s Department for Combating Illegal Migration (DCIM).

Migrant Rescue Watch, a humanitarian group that monitors migration issues, confirmed the development in a public statement.

The group explained that the Nigerians were taken by road in a convoy guarded by security officials. This is part of Libya’s wider plan to return foreign citizens who are living in the country without valid papers.

Libya continues to serve as one of the main exit points for migrants hoping to cross the Mediterranean Sea and reach Europe.

Many migrants without legal status are often kept in detention centers in Libya while waiting to be deported or repatriated.

In recent years, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) has been working with Libyan officials to arrange voluntary return flights. These flights give migrants the chance to safely return to their home countries, including Nigeria.