APA – Lagos (Nigeria)
The Nigerian Government, in collaboration with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) on Tuesday evacuated 151 stranded Nigerians from Benghazi, Libya as the voluntary evacuation from Libya resumes.
According to the statement by Kabiru Musa, the Charge D’affiares en titre of the Nigerian Mission in Libya, the evacuees, who included 71 females, 54 males, 14 children and 13 infants were expected to arrive at the Murtala Mohammed Airport Lagos on Tuesday.
He disclosed that in 2022, the IOM and Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs through the Nigerian Mission in Libya, successfully repatriated about 4,000 Nigerians, who were irregular migrants in Libya.
He said that the March 28 voluntary evacuation was the first in this year with several other exercises to follow in the coming days and weeks.
“Under the IOM’s voluntary repatriation exercise, we successfully evacuated 151 stranded Nigerians from the city of Benghazi to Lagos, Nigeria at 16:00 hours local time aboard chartered flight no. UZ189.
“The flight is expected to arrive the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos at 20:00 hours Nigerian time the same day.
“There are several Nigerians living illegally in this country who have been subjected to very inhumane treatment, and the Federal Government, through the Mission here, has continued to intervene with local authorities to stop this.
“The voluntary repatriation offers an opportunity for those who want to return to Nigeria to do so safely and reunite with their families.
“There are always officials of relevant government agencies on ground to receive them and ensure their resettlement and reintegration back to society,” local media reports quoted Musa as saying.
According to Musa, more Nigerians will be evacuated from Tripoli on Wednesday, with another exercise to be carried out on April 3 from Misrata, Libya.
GIK/APA
Nigerian Government, IOM evacuate 151 stranded Nigerians from Libya
