NATIONAL Emergency Management Agency ( NEMA) yesterday received a fresh batch of 141 stranded Nigerians from a restive Libya consisting 71 female adults, 3 female children and 3 female infants. Also, there are 53 male adults, 6 male children and 5 male infants.
The agency who returned the stranded nationals back also revealed that among them there were 2 medical cases, 9 families and 11 pregnant women all assisted back by the International Organisation of Migration (IOM) through the assistance of European Union.
The returnees were brought back via an AL Buraq flight number UZ189 which arrived the Cargo Wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport ( MMIA) Ikeja at 10:45 p.m last night.
Receiving the Nigerians who were mostly from city Centre of Tripoli, the capital of distressed country, Libya, Mr Seguin Afolayan, Chief Planning Officer, on behalf of the Director General and other Federal Agencies welcome the Voluntary returnees back in the country.
Afolayan urged the returnees to turn a leave in the forging ahead in their future endeavours and not allow the unfortunate experiences to negatively impact on their lives.
He said,”Truly, you had bad experiences differently collectively and individually but these should be the motivation for you to make positive decision to see the brighter future ahead of you. This is because, no one can tell the story more than you and making the better use of your lives are essential.”
“Please Federal Government is urging you to be ambassadors of positive change by taking the anti-irregular migration to those still aspiring to take dangerous journey. You can Talk to them in the language they will understand most.”
Agencies who joined NEMA in the operation were Immigration Service, NAPTIP, Refugee Commission, FAAN and Port Health.