More than 160 stranded Nigerians were yesterday evacuated from Libya by the Federal Government with the support of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM).
In a statement in Abuja, the Chargé D’Affaires En Titre, Ambassador Kabiru Musa, said the evacuees were expected to arrive in Nigeria last night.
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According to the envoy, the evacuees are Nigerians who were trapped in Libya as irregular migrants on the verge of perilous journey to Europe and other parts of the world.
He said the repatriation came less than a week after 155 irregular migrants were voluntarily evacuated, assuring of the Federal Government’s commitment to ensure no citizen was left abandoned abroad.
Musa said: “The 160 Nigerians departed Mitiga International Airport in Tripoli aboard a chartered flight number UZ0189 on Monday (September 25) at 4.30 p.m.
“They are expected to arrive at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport on Monday night.
“The evacuees include 95 males, 60 females, one child and four infants.
“They will be received by relevant agencies in the country who will ensure their seamless reintegration into the society,” Musa said.
He added that more than 6,500 stranded Nigerians had been repatriated from Libya under the IOM Voluntary Humanitarian Repatriation (VHR) so far this year.