The National Emergency Management Agency has received a total of 147 stranded Nigerians from Libya as part of the ongoing Assisted Voluntary Return initiative, supported by the International Organisation for Migration in collaboration with the Federal Government of Nigeria.
In a statement released on Wednesday via X, NEMA said the returnees arrived at the Cargo Terminal of Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, aboard an Air Libya Airlines flight with registration number 5A-BAE at about 5:15 pm on October 21, 2025. The operation was coordinated by the agency’s Lagos Operations Office in conjunction with the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons.
According to NEMA, the returnees comprised 100 adults (32 males and 68 females), 34 children (18 males and 16 females), and 13 infants (5 males and 8 females). Officials of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) were on ground to conduct biometric registration and documentation to ensure proper identification and smooth reintegration into society.
The agency added that, “In line with the Federal Government’s commitment to ensuring the safe, dignified, and humane return of its citizens, the returnees were provided with food, potable water, medical care, ambulance services, and counselling, alongside logistical support to facilitate their transition.
“The entire reception process was well-coordinated, efficient, and centred on the welfare and dignity of all returnees,” the statement read.
This latest arrival forms part of Nigeria’s ongoing reintegration efforts under the IOM’s AVR programme, which assists migrants stranded abroad to voluntarily return home safely.
PUNCH Online recalls that on October 19, 2025, the IOM revealed that 4,760 stranded Nigerians were repatriated in 2024 through its AVRR programme.
According to the IOM’s 2024 Annual Report, obtained by Sunday PUNCH, the figure comprised 2,435 men and 2,324 women, many of whom faced economic hardship, social stigma, and psychological distress.
The report noted that the main transit and host countries of return were Libya (1,631), Niger (1,088), Chad (523), Mali (338), and Côte d’Ivoire (263). Of the total, 1,101 returnees were identified as victims of trafficking, predominantly from Edo, Delta, Ogun, Imo, and Lagos states.
Punch
