IOM and EU Facilitate Return of 249 Nigerians from Libya

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the European Union (EU) have successfully facilitated the return of 249 Nigerians from Libya. The returnees arrived at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, at approximately 9:47 PM on Thursday aboard an Afriqiyah Airbus A330-300 with registration number 5A-ONR.

The returnees were received by the Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mustapha Maihajja, represented by Suleiman Yakubu, NEMA’s South West Zonal Coordinator. Maihajja urged the returning Nigerians to become ambassadors of positive change, warning their peers against engaging in irregular migration

You should let others know that outside your country, you may be treated as second-class citizens and your rights can be violated without any opportunity for redress.”

This marks another successful repatriation under the IOM-supported program, which has seen over 3,000 Nigerians voluntarily return from Libya in recent months. Earlier this week, 387 Nigerians returned from the North African country, many sharing harrowing experiences during their stay.

Authorities confirmed that another batch of Nigerians is en route from Tripoli, Libya, expected to arrive shortly, continuing efforts to safeguard citizens stranded abroad.