Arts and Life
164 Nigerian Migrants Get Repatriated from Libya Envoy Laments Deception of Nationals into Engaging in Irregular Migration
By Admin
A total of 164 irregular Nigerian migrants were, Tuesday,repatriated from Libya.
During the exercise undertaken by the Nigerian Embassy in Tripoli,Libya,in collaboration with the International Organization for Migration and the Libyan authorities,the detainees from Libyan detention centres,who earlier were arrested on various offences, including illegal entry, overstay and lack of proper documents,among other,were advised to avoid irregular migrations through perilous journeys across the desert and the Mediterranean Sea.
The former detainees, comprising 38 men,120 women as well as 4 children and 2 infants, were also told to be wary of any such journeys without proper documents,which usually arise as a result of promises of better life in Europe or elsewhere and, ultimately ,end up in exploitation.
Speaking to our correspondent via telephone in Abuja,the Charge’ d’Affaires of the Nigeria Mission in Libya,Amb.Mohammed Mohammed admonished Nigerians to avoid every unusual solicitation to undertake any such journeys without knowing what lies ahead of them.
“Life may appear rosy on the other side.But we must understand that not all that glitters is gold,as the saying goes.Do not listen to anyone making you promises of job or even a better life elsewhere by offering to take you to Europe across the desert or the Mediterranean Sea.Count the costs of such an adventure before falling for it.Many lives have been wasted through such simple promises,”the Nigerian Diplomat emphasized.
The exercise conducted by the Embassy with the co-operation of the Libyan Government and the IOM in Libya as part of the organization’s Voluntary Humanitarian Repatriation (VHR) programme,which is aimed at providing lifesaving, dignified and expedited return to willing migrants to their home nations,is the 10th carried out by the Nigerian Embassy in Libya this year.
The Nigerian nationals,who arrived at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos,on Tuesday at about 1730hrs left Libya aboard chartered flight no:UZ 189 the same day.