TheCable

A total of 140 Nigerians who voluntarily agreed to return home from Libya arrived the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA) Lagos, on Tuesday.

Among the returnees, who had reportedly been stranded, were 74 adult females, 52 adult males, one female child, two male children, three female infants, two male infants and six unaccompanied kids, out of which five are female and one male.

Muhammad Sidi, director-general, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), said the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), facilitated their journey back into the country.

Sidi, who was represented by Onimode Bandele, NEMA’s deputy director, search and rescue, said: “What makes this special is that we have four minor accompanied among them.

“We have to do proper training to see that these people are united with their families.

“We have three medical cases on board and our doctors are aware of their cases and waiting to attend to them.”

He thanked the IOM that made it possible for the Nigerians to return home and the Nigeria government who mobilised different agencies for the exercise

He advised the returnees to stop running away from the country, advising them to develop the country together with their compatriots.

“My advice for you is to sit down at home, struggle and let’s develop our country. The country you are running to, their citizens developed it. If all of us run out of the country, who will develop it?

“So let stay back, struggle, work hard and ensure that our country is a better place for us.”

Nahashon Thuo, head of Lagos office of IOM, said most of the returnees were trying to cross to Europe without valid immigration papers.

Thuo said they were arrested by Libyan Immigration.

He said the returnees indicated their interest to return to Nigeria, adding that they would be given 50 dollars each by the organisation.

Ifeoluwa Adeosun, one of the returnees, said she sold all her property to travel to Germany when her husband died.

An indigene of Owo in Ondo state, Ifeoluwa said she decided to go abroad in search of the means to take care of her children.

She thanked IOM and federal government for her trip back to Nigeria. She revealed that she suffered a lot in Libya.

Adeosun appealed to the federal government to evacuate other Nigerians in Libya “because they are suffering there”.

Several government agencies were on hand to receive the returnees. Among the agencies were the Nigeria Immigration Service, Port Health from the federal ministry of health and the National Agency against Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIPs).