NEMA Receives Over 200 Stranded Nigerians Repatriated from Libya

 The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) welcomed 204 stranded Nigerians repatriated from Libya on April 28, 2025, at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, marking the largest single return of citizens from the North African country this year. 

The group, comprising 150 men, 45 women, and 9 children, was airlifted through a collaboration between the Nigerian government and the International Organization for Migration (IOM), as reported. The returnees, detained in Libyan camps for irregular migration, expressed relief at their homecoming but highlighted the harsh conditions they endured.

NEMA’s Director-General, Zubaida Umar, received the returnees, providing immediate humanitarian aid, including food, water, and medical screenings, at the agency’s reception center in Ikeja. The operation was coordinated with the Nigerian Embassy in Tripoli and Libya’s Department for Combating Illegal Migration, following diplomatic efforts to secure the release of Nigerians held in facilities like Tariq Al-Sikka, per Vanguard Nigeria. Many returnees, primarily from Edo, Delta, and Kano states, had sought economic opportunities in Europe but were intercepted during perilous Mediterranean crossings, with 80% reporting abuse in detention, per IOM data.

The repatriation is part of Nigeria’s Voluntary Humanitarian Return program, which has facilitated the return of 5,000 citizens from Libya since 2023, funded by a N2 billion federal allocation. The returnees will undergo a 14-day reintegration program, including vocational training in skills like tailoring and welding, to support their resettlement, per NEMA’s statement. Umar urged Nigerians to avoid irregular migration, citing 1,200 deaths in Mediterranean crossings in 2024, per UNHCR reports. The IOM’s Libya chief, Laurence Hart, praised Nigeria’s efforts but called for stronger regional cooperation to address trafficking networks.

The returnees’ arrival underscores Nigeria’s broader migration challenges, with 2.5 million citizens living abroad, half undocumented, per the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. President Bola Tinubu has prioritized diaspora engagement, with a 2025 budget of N500 million for migrant welfare. NEMA plans to receive another 300 returnees by June, as Libya intensifies its crackdown on illegal migration. The operation reflects Nigeria’s commitment to protecting its citizens while highlighting the need for economic reforms to curb desperation driving risky migrations.