The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the Nigerian Embassy in Libya yesterday brought back 175 Nigerians,who voluntarily returned from Libya on aboard a chartered Nouvelair aircraft with registration number TS-INA.
The aircraft landed at 7.50pm at the international wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport(MMA), Lagos.
The returnees comprises of of 34 males, 122 females, 10 children and nine infants.
On arriving Nigeria, the returnees were received at the Hajj Camp of the airport by officers of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) and the Police.
Also on ground to receive them were officials of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).
Speaking to journalists shortly after receiving the 175 returnees, Director, Search and Rescue, NEMA,Air Commodore Paul Ohemu stated that the agency in collaboration with the IOM was working to stop irregular migration and return stranded Nigerians from Libya.
He advised Nigerians to stay back and contribute their quota to the socio-economic development of the country.
According to him, “There are a lot of things you can do in Nigeria here. You don’t have to travel outside the country in search of greener pastures. My advice to parents is to keep tab on their children and to ensure that they know where their children are going to and not to be deceived by phantom promises.”
The NEMA Director added that some state governments had put various schemes in place to help rehabilitate and reintegrate the returnees into the society.
On his part, the Zonal Director, NAPTIP, Lagos Zone, Mr Joseph Famakinwa, stated that the Federal Government had intensified efforts to curb human trafficking and bring traffickers to book.
In his words,”NAPTIP has sent 315 Nigerians to prison for human trafficking with a total conviction of 265.”
