162 Nigerian migrants have returned safely from Libya on the fourth charter flight for this year organised by the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
This was made known in statement by IOM office in Nigeria.
According to the statement, , more than 500 stranded Nigerian migrants have so far returned to Nigeria with support from the European Union (EU) through its Joint Initiative for Migrant Protection and Reintegration, in 2022
The humanitarian flight departed from Tripoli, the capital of Libya, and landed safely at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.
Out of the 162 migrants, 110 are men and 52 were women including 14 individuals under the age of 18 and 11 infants.
IOM Nigeria Head of Sub-office in Lagos, Stephen Rogers, said that “These migrants have been waiting patiently for months to get a flight back home and allow them to reunite with their families and friends”, said “IOM’s role is not over yet. We need to ensure their needs are accommodated under the best conditions and initiate their reintegration support back in the communities of origin.”
The statement also noted that “Prior to departure, the returnees underwent health checks and got tested for COVID-19 and received hygiene kits containing face masks and other protective gear.
Upon arrival, the returnees are given food, refreshments and a mobile device to assist them with contacting their families and to remain in touch with IOM as they receive reintegration support. Vulnerable cases are provided with non-food items such as clothes, shoes and other essential items”.
Adding that “IOM has provided them with pre-departure counselling services, protection screening and transportation assistance, also offers targeted assistance to migrants with specific situations of vulnerability such as pregnant women, unaccompanied migrant children, victims of trafficking and migrants with medical conditions.
Returnees undergo a mandatory seven-day quarantine period for unvaccinated beneficiaries and undergo on the second day another PCR test for COVID-19. Returnees subsequently receive financial support for transportation to their communities of origin. IOM will also provide mental health and psychosocial support and business skills training to help them to kickstart income-generating activities as part of their reintegration assistance.”
According, to Ambassador of the European Union to Nigeria and ECOWAS Nigeria & ECOWAS, Samuela Isopi
“The EU-IOM Joint Initiative has been instrumental in safely returning and reintegrating Nigerian nationals since April 2017 and we are happy to know that operations have resumed. We are welcoming the flight from Tripoli and we aim at successful reintegration for all returnees“.
Many other migrants were stranded in Libya due to COVID-19 and the challenging security situation in the country, with the hope of returning back to their country once the opportunity is gotten.
One of such persons is Yousef Al Hadji who migrated from Nigeria to Libya in 2016, who when the voluntary humanitarian return flights from Libya resumed in October 2021 after months of suspension due to border closures and restrictions, Yousef immediately elected to return to his country of origin.
According to Yousef “It has been six years since I first came to Libya, and I haven’t seen my big family, i look forward to reuniting with my family in Nigeria”.
IOM’s latest DTM report indicates that Nigerian migrants make up 6 per cent of migrants in Libya, the country’s fifth largest migrant population. According to IOM data, Libya followed by Niger and Mali are the primary transit countries for Nigerian migrants.
IOM works closely with the Nigerian Government and specifically with the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and IDPs (NCFRMI), National Immigration Service (NIS), National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to facilitate the humane, orderly and dignified movement of returning migrants.
This is the 94th chartered flight from various locations since April 2017 when the Joint Initiative commenced.
Between April 2017 and February 2022, 19,452 stranded Nigerians have been assisted to return voluntarily from 22 countries in Europe, the Middle East and other parts of the world with support from the European Union.
