Thursday, July 25, 2024-The Federal Government has repatriated 158 irregular Nigerian migrants from Libya.
Nigeria’s Charge’ d’
Affaires to Libya, Amb. Mohammed Mohammed, made this known in a statement on
Wednesday, July 24, 2024.
Mohammed said that the group of
evacuees comprised 77 males, 45 females, 26 children as well as 10 infants
The envoy explained that of the total
number, 26 males were arrested from the ongoing raid of undocumented foreigners
in Libya were released from Abu-Salim Detention Centre in Tripoli.
According to him, so far, 1,776
stranded Nigerians were returned home
Mohammed said that the repatriation was a
collaborative effort of the mission and the Libyan authorities
He said that the collaboration was under the
International Organisation for Migration (IOM) under the organisation’s
Voluntary Humanitarian Repatriation (VHR)
“This marks the 12th evacuation
exercise carried out by the Nigerian Mission in Libya this year. The current
exercise follows the repatriation of 142 irregular Nigerian migrants from
Sabha, Libya, on July 19,” he said.
"While some of them were rescued
from the Mediterranean Sea by the Libyan Coastal Guards, others were arrested
on charges of prostitution, illegal entry, overstay, and lack of proper
documentation while others willingly submitted themselves to the IOM in Libya
for repatriation.
“Nigerians living in Libya, from many
indications, already have damaged reputations due to the alleged nefarious
activities of some criminal elements among them
“Some have been fingered in the
commitment of crimes such as kidnapping for ransom, drug peddling,
prostitution, sale of alcohol as well as cultism and human trafficking with
their Libyan collaborators, among others.
“It is, therefore, as a result of the
above that, arrest and deportation of Nigerians may continue in the weeks and
months ahead," he added.
The envoy urged Nigerians to shun
irregular migrations saying that there have been increasing and coordinated
raids of illegal migrants across the cities of Libya.
According to him, these are likely
going to continue as Libyan authorities consider influx of illegal migrants in
the country a national security issue and have vowed to employ all legal means
to stop the menace.
0 Comments