National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has received 326 newly repatriated Nigerian from Libya back to Nigeria.
The Coordinator of Lagos NEMA territorial office, Alh Idris Muhammed received the voluntary returnees on their arrival in 2 different flights at the Cargo Wing of MMIA, Ikeja. The first flight arrived Nigeria with 143 returnees aboard Al Buraq Air Boeing 737-800 with flight number UZ189 and registration number 5A-DMG which landed at 10:20 p. M while the second flight arrived with Nouvelair Air flight UZ 175 and Registration number TS-INA with 183 Returnees aboard.
The repatriated Nigerians were brought back by International Organization for Migration (IOM) in its Assisted Voluntary Returnees (AVR) initiative with funding from European Union for reintegration of the Returnees back in tnto their community
At the end of profiling, the breakdown of whole Returnees show that 291 adults were brought back with 8 children and 27 infants. The NEMA Coordinator assured the youths of a better and prosperous life in the country.
“The country of our dream is unfolding, as you are struggling to travel outside country, many foreign nationals are also struggling to come into Nigeria as well.
“Movement of people are naturally divine and no one will is saying you should not travel but travelling across the desert does not worth it.
“The Federal Government is desirous to make every Nigerian to make his qouta in developing the country to the level we want it to be.
“Let us all stay back and support the government in its efforts at refocusing the country. We all have trust and confidence in this government that it will lead us to the promise land with the present leadership but the youths are the engine room in building a virile and developed nation.
“Travelling out for greener pastures outside will not enable our needed collective efforts that are very vital at this stahlge of the country’s progressive history”, he stated.
Alhaji Idris Muhammed also admonished them to be ready for reintegration process that would follow the arrival stage that has just been completed.
The Zonal Commander of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Mr Daniel Atokolo assured Nigerians that volunteering is information that could lead to identification and arrest of traffickers would be treated with utmost secrecy with the protection of the source of information as priority.
“Trafficking is evil but we must root it out of the country, we can’t do it alone if Nigerians do not see it as their tasks that must be collectively dealt with”, he said.
Other federal Agencies that were present include Refugee Commission, Nigeria Immigration Service and FAAN
Amongst the Returnees are 148 female adults , 6 female children, 15 female infants making a total of 169 females, while the males are 143 male adults, 2 male children and 12 male infants making a total of 157 males that were evacuated back to Nigeria.
