From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) has reiterated that 956 Nigerians have been evacuated from Libyan prisons between January and March 2025, with renewed warnings against irregular migration through the war-torn North African nation.
Director of Media, Public Relations and Protocols Unit, NiDCOM, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, said the rescued individuals – 683 females, 132 males, 87 children, and 54 infants – were repatriated via six flights coordinated by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Nigeria and the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants, and Internally Displaced Persons (NCRMI). This brings the total number of Nigerians evacuated from Libya to over 15,000 since 2017.
NIDCOM Chairman/CEO, Abike Dabiri-Erewa reiterated urgent appeals for Nigerians to avoid Libya, citing its “delicate political situation” and history of violence against migrants. “Libyans are dealing with their own struggles as there is no recognized government in place,” she stated, emphasizing that irregular routes expose travelers to exploitation and death.
She urged Nigerians to follow the legal and regular means of migration, noting that some rescued Nigerians from Libya still return to Libya or more dangerous routes to get into Europe.
Dabiri-Erewa stressed that the Federal Government, will continually uphold the interest, dignity and fundamental human rights of Nigerians at home and in the diaspora, irrespective of their socio-economic, ethno-cultural or religious backgrounds, and called for collaboration with government agencies, NGOs, the media and other relevant stakeholders to join hands in raising awareness on the dangers of irregular migration.