No fewer than 109 Nigerians who were said to have been stranded in Mali arrived the International wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport on Monday at about 3.15 am.
The returnees which comprises of 11 adult men, 89 young male adult, four male children and five female children.
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Some of the returnees who were on their way to Dubai, were trapped in Mali as a result of the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic.
The Acting Territorial Coordinator, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Ibrahim Farinloye, in a statement issued on Monday morning said the returnees were assisted back into the country by the International Organization of Migration (IOM).
Farinloye said, the Director General of NEMA, Air Vice Marshall (AVM) Muhammad A. Muhammadu (rtd) while addressing the returnees on arrival enjoined them to always avoid those that promise greener pastures outside the country as there’s nothing like that any longer anywhere.
He said the NEMA boss admonished them to always be wary of close family friends and relatives whose major interest is to lure and expose them to unnecessary hazards that are life threatening.
“He appeal to them to make better use of their lives as they successfully return to the country.
“He also assured them of Government’s readiness to provide equal opportunities to every one. Federal Government has several social development programs and other incentives meant for empowering the youths in the country” he said.
