The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has received 147 stranded Nigerians from Libya under the ongoing Assisted Voluntary Return (AVR) initiative, a joint effort by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the Federal Government.
In a statement released Wednesday via X, NEMA confirmed the returnees arrived at the Cargo Terminal of Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, at about 5:15 pm on Tuesday, October 21, 2025. They were transported via an Air Libya Airlines flight with registration number 5A-BAE.
The reception was coordinated by NEMA’s Lagos Operations Office, alongside the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons.
According to NEMA, the returnees included 100 adults (32 males, 68 females), 34 children (18 males, 16 females), and 13 infants (5 males, 8 females).
Upon arrival, officials of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) conducted biometric registration and documentation to ensure proper identification and aid their reintegration.
The agency noted that in line with the government’s commitment to a safe and dignified return, the citizens were provided with food, potable water, medical care, ambulance services, counselling, and logistical support.
“The entire reception process was well-coordinated, efficient, and centred on the welfare and dignity of all returnees,” the statement read.
This latest arrival is part of the IOM’s AVR programme, which helps migrants stranded abroad to return home safely.
PUNCH Online recalls that the IOM’s 2024 Annual Report, released on October 19, 2025, revealed that 4,760 stranded Nigerians were repatriated in 2024. This figure comprised 2,435 men and 2,324 women.
The report noted that the main transit countries of return were Libya (1,631), Niger (1,088), Chad (523), Mali (338), and Côte d’Ivoire (263). Of the total returnees in 2024, 1,101 were identified as victims of trafficking, predominantly from Edo, Delta, Ogun, Imo, and Lagos states.
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