Nigerian Government in collaboration with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) on Tuesday, repatriated 281 detained and stranded Nigerians in different camps in Libya to Nigeria.
Amb. Kabiru Musa, Charge d’Affaires En Titre of the Nigerian Mission in Libya, disclosed this in a statement made available on Tuesday in Abuja.
According to Musa, 159 of the evacuees are Nigerians who were freed from detention facilities across Libya, while 122 of them are Nigerians who were stranded in the country.
Musa said that the evacuees, who left the Tripoli International Airport, Libya on Tuesday, are expected to arrive the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos same Tuesday Evening.
“The Federal Government in collaboration with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) airlifted 122 stranded Nigerians on Dec. 12, from Tripoli, Libya to Lagos aboard chartered flight No.UZ 189.
“The flight has 47 male adults, 45 female adults, 18 children and 12 infants, all the passengers were stranded in various areas of Tripoli.
“The other 159 Nigerians from detention centers were also repatriated aboard chartered flight No.UZ190 at 13:25 hours local time and is expected to arrive Murtala Muhammed international airport Lagos at 16:25 hours same day,” he said.
According to him, aboard the flight are 50 male adults, 94 female adults, and 6 infants.
“The continuous Voluntary Humanitarian Repatriation (VHR) is a reflection of the commitments of the Nigerian government to address the challenges of its citizens both home and abroad.
“We continue to thank the IOM and the Libyan authorities for all their support in making the evacuation exercise, and release of those in detention facilities possible,” Musa said.
Musa disclosed that the Nigerian Mission in Libya, with the support of the IOM successfully repatriated over 6,000 stranded Nigerians from Libya between 2022 and December 2023.
