151 repatriated as FG resumes evacuation of stranded Nigerians from Libya

The Federal Government has said about 151 stranded Nigerians have been repatriated from Benghazi in Libya.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Nigeria’s ambassador to Libya, Kabiru Musa, spoke in a statement on Tuesday.

The evacuation was said to have been carried out in collaboration with International Organisation for Migration.

Musa said those evacuated are 71 females, 54 males, 14 children, and 13 infants.

He said the voluntary evacuation was the first in 2023, adding that the evacuees would be arriving at the Murtala Mohammed Airport in Lagos at 8 pm.

He said about 4,000 stranded Nigerians were repatriated by the IOM and the ministry of foreign affairs through the Nigerian Mission in Libya, in 2022.

“Under the IOM’s voluntary repatriation exercise, we successfully evacuated 151 stranded Nigerians from the city of Benghazi to Lagos, Nigeria at 16:00 hours local time aboard chartered flight no. UZ189.

“The flight is expected to arrive at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos at 20:00 hours Nigerian time the same day.

“There are several Nigerians living illegally in this country who have been subjected to very inhumane treatment, and the federal government, through the Mission here, has continued to intervene with local authorities to stop this.

“The voluntary repatriation offers an opportunity for those who want to return to Nigeria to do so safely and reunite with their families.

“There are always officials of relevant government agencies on the ground to receive them and ensure their resettlement and reintegration back to society,” he said.

The ambassador added that more Nigerians would be repatriated from Tripoli on Wednesday, while other irregular migrants from Misrata in Libya would be evacuated on April 3.