The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has received 150 Nigerians that were stranded in Libya and Algeria from Niger Republic Niamey migrants camp on Wednesday.
The returnees were recieved by the DirectorGeneral, NEMA, Mustapha Habib, alongside other refugee and security agencies at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport in Kano.
Speaking while recieving them, the DG, represented by NEMA Coordinator Kano Territorial Office, Dr Nuradeen Abdullahi,said the returnees arrived the airport at about 3:20 p.m
According to him, the returnees were transported into Nigeria by SKY MALI Airlines, operated by Ethiopian airline B737-400 with registration number UR-CQX”
“The returnees were repatriated back to Nigeria under the care of International Organisation for Migration (IOM) from Niamey(Niger Republic) through a voluntary repatriation programme”
He noted that the program was meant for distressed Nigerians who had left the country to seek for greener pastures in various European countries and could not afford to return when their journey became frustrated.
“The returnees included: 66 male adults 27 female adults and 57 children (33 female and 24 male) from Benue, Abia, Kano, Bauchi, Kaduna and Katsina states among others.
“The returnees would undergo a three-day training on how to achieve self sustainability and would be provided with seed capital to enable them engage in productive ventures to be self reliant”
The DG enjoined the returnees to learn from their experiences, be law abiding citizens and avoid illegal migration.
Recounting their ordeals,Dose John a single mother of two from Benue State, said she travelled to Libya to seek for greener pasture because her father died and left her sick mother and three siblings.
“I met the father of my two kids in Libya,we were not married and now he is no where to be found. I am ashamed to go home because instead of me bringing money home, I brought back two kids without knowing the whereabout of their father”
Another returnee, Izehi Solomon Kamsi, 30, from Abia State said he paid 500 US dollars to be smuggled to Libya.
“Before i travelled i was into agriculture on livestock business. My intention was to make money.
“In Libya on my way to cross the Mediterranean sea I was jailed six months imprisonment while in Algeria I spent two months imprisonment.”
