A batch of 167 Nigerians stranded in Libya have been repatriated to the country.
The returnees arrived at the Murtala Muhammad International Airport (MMIA), Lagos on Tuesday night, 25 January, NAN reports.
The returnees comprised 65 adult females, eight female children, 76 male adults, and 18 male children.
The reception exercise, which was coordinated by the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons and Facilitated by IOM under the EU/IOM Return and Reintegration initiative successfully received and profiled the returnees.
Director-General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Alhaji Mustapha Habib, who received them, advised the youth to look beyond seeking greener pastures in foreign lands.
“The returnees were brought back to the country by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) through a voluntary repatriation programme for the distressed persons.
“They left the country to seek for greener pastures in various European countries but could not afford to return when their journey became frustrated,” he said.
The DG, who was represented by the NEMA Lagos Territorial Office Coordinator, Ibrahim Farinloye, urged the returnees to look inward towards making the best use of abundant resources abound in Nigeria.
He assured the returnees that the Federal Government is conscious of the aspirations of the youths and it is providing enabling environment where everyone will achieve his/her full potential.
He stated that the exercise was conducted under strict Covid-19 protocols with proper supervision of all government agencies at the airport.
He said that the Port Health Unit of the Federal Ministry of Health, National Commission for Resilience, Migration, IDPs, NAPTIP, and the Nigerian Immigration Service received the returnees at the airport.
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