NEMA Receives 203 Vulnerable Nigerians Stranded In Libya

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has announced that 203 vulnerable Nigerians who were stuck in Libya have safely returned home.

They landed at the Cargo Terminal of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos on Monday, where NEMA and other officials were there to receive them.

The group flew in on a chartered Al Buraq airline plane with the registration number 5A-BAC. Among them were 50 adult men, 96 adult women, 29 children, and 28 babies.

Their return was made possible through the efforts of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), which organized the trip as part of its voluntary humanitarian repatriation program.

Several Nigerian agencies also supported the effort, including NEMA, the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), Immigration, DSS, Port Health Services, and the Police.

In a statement on Tuesday, NEMA said that two of the people who returned from Libya needed urgent medical care and were quickly taken to New Ikeja Hospital for treatment.

It stated that when the returnees arrived, they went through required identification and biometric checks. After that, they were taken to the Igando IDP Resettlement Centre, where they’ll take part in a reintegration program to help them start over and rebuild their lives.

“The returnees comprised 50 males, 96 females, 29 children and 28 infants. They (returnees) were offered necessary assistance by IOM with the support of NEMA, NCFRMI, Nigeria Immigration, DSS, Port Health and the Nigeria Police Force.

“There were two medical cases, and the patients were transferred to New Ikeja Hospitals for treatment.

“After the mandatory profiling and biometric exercise, the returnees were moved to the Igando IDPs resettlement centre for further reintegration programmes,” NEMA stated.

This repatriation is part of an ongoing effort to help Nigerians who are struggling in Libya and bring them home safely.

KanyiDaily recalls that in 2024, Nigerians living in Libya reportedly faced mass arrest, taxation, and deportation following a ruling by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).