The Nigerian government, in collaboration with the International Organization for Migration (IOM), on Tuesday evacuated 151 stranded Nigerians from Benghazi, Libya as the government resumed its voluntary evacuation in Libya.
Kabiru Musa, Charge D’affiares en titre of the Nigerian Mission in Libya, made this known in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Abuja.
According to Musa, the evacuees who included 71 female, 54 male, 14 children and 13 infants are expected to arrive at the Murtala Mohammed Airport Lagos at 8 p.m.
Musa said that in 2022, the IOM, Ministry of Foreign Affairs through the Nigerian Mission in Libya, successfully repatriated almost 4,000 Nigerians who were irregular migrants in the country.
He said that the March 28 voluntary evacuation was the first in the year with several other exercises to follow in the coming days and weeks.
“Under the IOM’s voluntary repatriation exercise, we successfully evacuated 151 stranded Nigerians from the city of Benghazi to Lagos, Nigeria at 16:00 hours local time aboard chartered flight no. UZ189.
“The flight is expected to arrive the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos at 20:00 hours Nigerian time the same day.
“There are several Nigerians living illegally in this country who have been subjected to very inhumane treatment, and the Federal Government, through the Mission here, has continued to intervene with local authorities to stop this.
“The voluntary repatriation offers an opportunity for those who want to return to Nigeria to do so safely and reunite with their families.
“There are always officials of relevant government agencies on ground to receive them and ensure their resettlement and reintegration back to society,” Musa said.
Musa said that more Nigerians would be evacuated from Tripoli on Wednesday, with another exercise to be carried out on April 3 from Misrata, Libya.