Ninety-five Nigerians stranded in Libya have returned back to Nigeria morning and were received at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos by officials of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).
Habib Mustapha, Director General of NEMA who was represented by the Acting Coordinator of the Lagos Territorial Office of NEMA, Ibrahim Farinloye, who confirmed the development, said the stranded Nigerians arrived the airport Tuesday night at about 20.18 p.m with Al Buraq airline with number UZ189/16/5A- DMG-MJI AD15:50
Farinloye said the returnees were brought back to the country by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) through voluntary repatriation programme for the distressed who had left the country to seek greener pastures in various European country but could not afford to return when their journey became frustrated.
He explained that the returnees are 60 male adults, 29 female adults, three male and one female teenager, with two infants (one male and the other female).
The NEMA official noted that among the returnees were two males who had various degrees of health-related issues.
According to him, “On arrival, Mustapha implored the returnees to turn a new leaf by look inward within the country that has been blessed with abundant resources.
“He assured the returnees that the Federal Government and the IOM, along with other international partners, will not disappoint them as Nigerians by providing the enabling environment for them to achieve their potentials.
“He further reminded them that the pseudo greener pastures that many thought abound in foreign countries are not true but with your experiences now. He added that they are in better position to enlighten anyone still contemplating to travel out of the country.”
Farinloye added that the Port Health Unit of the Federal of Health, National Commission for Resilience, Migration and IDPs and the Nigerian Immigration Services are part of the government agencies who received the returnees at the airport
(NAN)