Two batches of 249 and 116 returnees from Libya were evacuated by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the European union in collaboration with the Federal Government.
This was in continuation of massive repatriation of stranded Nigerians who have willingly expressed interest in returning home.
The first batch of returnees with 249 Nigerians arrived aboard Afriqiyah Airbus A330-300 aircraft with registration number 5A-ONR which landed at Cargo Wing of Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja Lagos at 9:47 p.m on Thursday barely 24 hours after two batches of 245 and 142 arrived.
Another flight conveying 116 Nigerian returnees landed at about 5:39 a.m aboard BURAQ Airlines plane with registration number 5A-WAC.
The returnees were handed over to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) while other agencies of government were at the airport to provide logistics support and assistance to them.
So far, 752 returnees have been rescued this week alone with the exercise continuing next week.
The Zonal Coordinator of NEMA Southwest Zonal Office who represented the Director General of the Agency, Engr. Mustapha Maihajja welcomed the returnees back to the country and implored them to be champions of positive change amongst the youths who are still nursing the idea of going outside the country purportedly in search of greener pastures.
Some states’ officials were also on ground to facilitate the transportation of their indigenes back to their respective states.
Bashirat Mustapha, one of the returnees from Ibadan recalled that she travelled to Libya in 2014 with the consent of her parents, disclosing however that she was sold out for N350,000 in Libya.
According to her, she decided to Libya in order to help her parents whom she said are poor.
She said, “I paid almost N1m to the agent who facilitated my trip. I was able to do some work as a cleaner during which I raised the money.
“I was living in Tripoli but they took me to Saba where they sold me. They burst into our house in Tripoli one day and we were accused of being into prostitution. They took us to prison but before we knew it, we found ourselves in Saba. I was freed in July 28 this year after my mum sent them money.”
