The International Organisation for Migration, IOM, and the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, have received 180 Nigerian migrants evacuated from Libya.
In a statement, the IOM revealed that the evacuation was part of efforts to address irregular migration and support vulnerable returnees.
The UN agency noted that the returnees had been provided with health screening, counselling, and other immediate assistance while eligible beneficiaries would receive reintegration support to help them rebuild their lives.
The returnees were received at the Cargo Wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.
Addressing newsmen on Tuesday, the Head of Lagos Sub-Office of NEMA, Mr Ali Ibrahim, said more than 50 of the returnees came from detention centres in Libya.
He explained that the group include 108 adult females, 45 adult males, 17 children, 12 infants, and two unaccompanied minors.
“So this is an ongoing process on a weekly basis. In addition to the arrival on a charter flight, we also have people arriving on a commercial flight on a daily basis at different points of entrance in Nigeria, including Abuja,” Ibrahim said.
Mr Ibrahim added that the returnees would be profiled by the Nigerian Immigration Service before being reintegrated into society through support programmes.
He noted that since the inception of the initiative in 2017, the IOM and the Federal Government have facilitated the return of over 65,000 Nigerians from various countries.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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