The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) announced on Tuesday that it had successfully evacuated 107 Nigerians stranded in Tripoli, Libya. According to NEMA, the returnees arrived in Lagos through Al Buraq Air Boeing 737-800 with registration number 5A-DMG, which landed at about 3:55 PM at the Cargo Wing of the Murtala Muhammad International Airport, Ikeja.
Upon their arrival, the Director General of NEMA, Mustapha Ahmed, who was represented by the Chief Relief and Rehabilitation Officer, Mr. Aziz Afunku, received the returnees. The group included a male and a female infant, as well as five female children and three male children.
NEMA’s Director General revealed that a total of 105 stranded Nigerians were repatriated, and an additional 281 were assisted in returning to the country in March 2023. In April 2023, a total of 259 Nigerians have so far been assisted in returning to the country.
NEMA’s efforts are part of a larger initiative by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), with support from international partners, to assist distressed Nigerians stranded in Libya to return home. The IOM has been carrying out this operation since 2017, with the aim of providing relief and support to Nigerians who are stranded in Libya and other parts of the world.
The successful evacuation of the 107 Nigerians is a welcome development, as it marks a step forward in the efforts to alleviate the suffering of Nigerians who are stranded in Libya. The Nigerian government, through NEMA, is committed to ensuring the safe return of all Nigerians who are stranded abroad, and to providing them with the necessary support and assistance upon their return.
