162 Nigerians voluntarily return from Libya

162 Nigerians who were hitherto stranded in the North African country of Libya have voluntarily returned to Nigeria though the help of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) in collaboration with the Nigerian Embassy in Libya.

The returnees made up of 132 men 27 women and three children came aboard a Ghadues Air aircraft marked 5A WAT Flight numberUZ 189 arrived at the international wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport around 2.50pm today.

This, according to officials, is the second time IOM would assist Nigerians to return home adding that in a few months’ time, another batch of returnees would be brought back.

On hand to receive them were personnel from the Port Health Services, Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), and National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons and Other Related Matters (NAPTIP).

Some of the returnees looked tired and disheveled with the men wearing the same colour of track suits and the same brand of canvass while some of the women dressed in black flowing gowns and various shades of hijab.

Three of the returnees were ill with two brought in a stretcher and ferried into a waiting ambulance provided by NEMA.

It was observed that one of them had burns all over his body and was writhing around on the stretcher in pains.

According to IOM’s operations assistant, Mr. Juma Ben Hassan, one of the men had a motor accident while the one that who had burns stayed in a house that was gutted by fire.

He said all the six occupants except the Nigerian died.

He said the man who was first hospitalized in Libya later requested to return to the country.

Meanwhile, the returnees were taken by NEMA officials for profiling before sending them to their respective states to reunite with their families.