In collaboration with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), the federal government has repatriated 21 irregular Nigerian migrants held in Libyan detention facilities.

Kabiru Musa, charge d’affaires en titre of the Nigerian Mission in Libya, disclosed this in a statement on Monday.

According to the statement, the stranded Nigerians are being evacuated to Nigeria under the Voluntary Humanitarian Repatriation (VHR) exercise.

It said the exercise was part of the government’s commitment to ensure that none of its citizens were left stranded in Libya, irrespective of their migration status.

The returnees, expected to be evacuated via commercial flights, Egypt and Ethiopian Airlines, would arrive at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport on Tuesday.

“The IOM, in collaboration with the Embassy of Nigeria Tripoli, has repatriated 21 stranded Nigerians through the Voluntary Humanitarian Repatriation (VHR) June 19, from the Benghazi International Airport Libya, aboard commercial Egyptian Airline no. S830 to Cairo,” the statement said. “Commercial Ethiopian Airlines will airlift the returnees from Cairo to Addis Ababa and from Addis Ababa to Lagos, Nigeria, with flight numbers ET453 and ET901, respectively.”

It added, “The Egyptian airline is expected to depart Benghazi on the 19th June 2023 at 11:10 p.m on transit to Addis Ababa, and the Ethiopian airline will leave Addis Ababa on 20th June 2023 at 09.00 a.m local time.”

According to the government, the flight will arrive in Lagos at 12:25 p.m. local time.

The exercise was the seventh voluntary evacuation exercise that would be conducted this year, with about 5,000 stranded Nigerians repatriated under the VHR.

“We are working closely with the Libyan authorities, and we appreciate their support always,” said the statement.

Thousands of Nigerian irregular migrants are locked up in detention centres across Libya for migration offences. 

(NAN)