The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has facilitated the return of 147 stranded Nigerians from Libya as part of the ongoing Assisted Voluntary Return (AVR) programme supported by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) in collaboration with the Federal Government of Nigeria.
In a statement released on Wednesday via X, the agency confirmed that the returnees landed at the Cargo Terminal of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, aboard an Air Libya Airlines flight with registration number 5A-BAE around 5:15 p.m. on October 21, 2025. The operation was coordinated by NEMA’s Lagos Operations Office, working alongside the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons.
According to NEMA, the group included 100 adults (32 males and 68 females), 34 children (18 males and 16 females), and 13 infants (5 males and 8 females). Officials from the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) were present to conduct biometric registration and documentation to ensure proper identification and facilitate reintegration.
The agency stated that,
“In line with the Federal Government’s commitment to ensuring the safe, dignified, and humane return of its citizens, the returnees were provided with food, potable water, medical care, ambulance services, and counselling, alongside logistical support to facilitate their transition.
“The entire reception process was well-coordinated, efficient, and centred on the welfare and dignity of all returnees.”
The recent repatriation forms part of Nigeria’s broader reintegration efforts under the IOM’s AVR programme, which supports migrants stranded abroad to voluntarily return home safely.
Earlier reports indicated that the IOM disclosed on October 19, 2025, that 4,760 stranded Nigerians were repatriated in 2024 through its AVRR programme.
According to the organisation’s 2024 Annual Report, obtained by Sunday PUNCH, the figure consisted of 2,435 men and 2,324 women, many of whom had endured economic hardship, social stigma, and psychological distress.
The report further revealed that the major countries of transit and return included Libya (1,631), Niger (1,088), Chad (523), Mali (338), and Côte d’Ivoire (263). Of the total, 1,101 returnees were identified as victims of trafficking, mostly from Edo, Delta, Ogun, Imo, and Lagos States.
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