258 more Nigerians return from Libya

Another batch of 258 Nigerians on Thursday returned from Libya.

The returnees comprising 229 male adults, 24 females, four children and one infant arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, at about 9:50 aboard a Libyan Airlines flight LAA1464/1465, through the efforts of the National Emergency Management Agency and the International Organisation for Migration.

Over 1,500 Nigerians have so far returned from Libya since the beginning of the year, some voluntarily while the others were deported.

The returnees came back voluntarily and most of them were artisans who had gone in search of greener pastures, NEMA said.

NEMA’s Deputy Director, Search and Rescue, Dr. Bandele Onimode, who represented the Director-General, Alhaji Mustang Maihajja, said the agency was in touch with the returnees’ various state governments for rehabilitation programmes for them.

“We need to advise people to look for opportunities here in Nigeria rather than in other countries,” he said.

More than 253 Nigerians had also on April 25, voluntarily returned from Libya.