Again, NEMA receives 174 returnees from Libya

…Says 12,574 Nigerians deported from Libya since 2017

Chukwuemeke Iwelunmo

The Coordinator of National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) Lagos Territorial Office, Mallam Idris Muhammed, has received 174 repatriated Assisted Voluntary Returnees.

Idris disclosed that with this batch, the total number of stranded Nigerians repatriated back from Libya makes it 12,574 Assisted Voluntary Returnees.

In addition, Mallam Muhammed revealed that over 4,900 of the Returnees have been trained on various skill acquisition and empowerment training by IOM through Special Funding facilitated by the European Union.

He said most of them have set up various businesses in their choice of occupation.

He explained that the Thursday this week flight was the 64 flights since the Programme of Assisted Voluntary Returnees initiated by EU but being implemented by IOM started in April, 2017.

The Returnees were brought back aboard Al Buraq Airline in Boeing 737-800 aircraft with flight number UZ 389-390 and registration number 5A-DMG from Sebha City and arrived Cargo Wing of MMIA, Ikeja, Nigeria at about 9:45 p.m.

Details on the new Returnees indicated that 62 adult females, 11 female children and 11 female infants made the total of 84 females while the males were composed of 74 male adults, 12 male children and 15 male infants making a total of 90 males that were brought back.

Addressing the returnees on arrival, the Coordinator assured all the new Returnees and those that had been brought earlier of Federal Government readiness to continue supporting and collaborating with other Department Partners in providing enabling environment for the realisations of potential of all the youths in the country.

He empahsised that Federal Government will continue to strengthen her assistance to state and local government authorities in rehabilitating the Returnees into their communities.