Samuel Omang
The Nigerian government has successfully facilitated the return of 147 citizens stranded in Libya, under the Assisted Voluntary Return program in partnership with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM).
The returnees arrived at Lagos’ Murtala Muhammed International Airport on October 21, 2025, aboard an Air Libya Airlines flight. NEMA’s Lagos Operations Office, working closely with the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants, and Internally Displaced Persons, coordinated the reception process.
Of the 147 returnees, 100 were adults, 34 were children, and 13 were infants. Nigerian Immigration Service officials carried out biometric registration and documentation to ensure proper identification and smooth reintegration.
NEMA stated that the government prioritized the welfare and dignity of the returnees, providing food, safe drinking water, medical attention, ambulance services, and counselling.
“This operation reflects the Federal Government’s ongoing commitment to ensuring the safe and humane return of Nigerians abroad,” the agency said in a statement on its official X handle.
The return of these citizens may underscore Nigeria’s efforts to safeguard its nationals overseas and provide the necessary support to help them reintegrate successfully into their communities but it also leaves the bigger question of the growing penchant for risk-taking in a bid to leave the shores of Nigeria in search of greener pastures.