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From Okwe Obi, Abuja
The Federal Government has received 144 stranded Nigerian migrants from Libya, with the collaboration of International Organization for Migration (IOM).
The government said the returnees arrived at the Cargo Terminal of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, and were received by officials of the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants, and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI) and other government agencies.
NCFRMI South West Zonal Coordinator, Alexander Oturu, on behalf of the Federal Commissioner, Aliyu Tijjani Ahmed, in a statement yesterday, reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to the welfare of Nigerian citizens.
He emphasised that in line with the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda, the returnees would be provided with access to government-led empowerment initiatives and reintegration support through the IOM’s Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration (AVRR) programme.
“The 144 returnees comprised eight males, 100 females, 26 children and 10 infants, all of whom were conveyed on an IOM-chartered flight from Libya.
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“Following their arrival, the returnees were transported to the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) camp, where the NCFRMI, IOM and LASEMA operate under a tripartite agreement to provide temporary shelter.
“In addition, the returnees will receive onward transportation allowances to facilitate their safe return to their respective communities.
“In attendance was the Director General of the Edo State Migration Agency, Lucky Agazuma, who led a delegation to facilitate the free transportation of Edo State indigenes to Benin City, the Edo State capital.
“The reception exercise involved the profiling of returnees by the NCFRMI and the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS).
“Further assistance was provided by officials from the Port Health Services, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Federal Ministry of Labour (Migrant Resource Centre), Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Child Protection Network and Web of Hearts Foundation, ensuring a comprehensive and coordinated approach to the reception and reintegration process.
“This return flight is part of an ongoing programme by the Federal Government in collaboration with the IOM to facilitate the safe return and reintegration of Nigerians stranded abroad, reflecting the government’s unwavering commitment to the protection and welfare of its citizens globally,” he said.
