A flight carrying 147 Nigerians stranded in Libya touched down at the Cargo Terminal of Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos on Tuesday evening, marking the latest phase of the Assisted Voluntary Return programme.
The operation, coordinated by NEMA’s Lagos Operations Office alongside the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, is aimed at ensuring safe and dignified repatriation of Nigerians stranded abroad.
Of the returnees, 100 were adults (32 males and 68 females), 34 were children (18 males and 16 females), and 13 were infants (5 males and 8 females).
Upon arrival, officials from the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) conducted biometric registration and documentation to streamline their reintegration process.
NEMA emphasised that the returnees were provided with food, safe drinking water, medical care, ambulance services and counselling, reaffirming the Federal Government’s commitment to the welfare of Nigerians abroad who seek to return home.
This arrival is part of the broader “AVRR” (Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration) mechanism supported by IOM.
For instance, in 2024 alone, approximately 4,760 stranded Nigerians returned under this scheme, many of whom had initially travelled irregularly and were exposed to exploitation during their journeys.
