The Nigerian government, in collaboration with the International Organization for Migration (IOM), has successfully evacuated 122 stranded Nigerians from Libya.
This group includes 52 males, 39 females—seven of whom are victims of human trafficking—21 children, and 10 infants.
This latest evacuation brings the total number of Nigerians assisted back home from Libya to 1,350 in 2024 alone. In 2023, the IOM helped 2,041 stranded Nigerian migrants return home.
The evacuees departed from Mitiga International Airport in Tripoli at approximately 1:30 PM local time and were expected to arrive at Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos by 5 PM.
This evacuation marks the ninth operation conducted by the Nigerian Mission in Libya this year under the Voluntary Humanitarian Repatriation (VHR) program.
During the evacuation in Tripoli, Nigeria’s newly-posted Charge d’Affaires en-titre to Libya, Mohammed Mohammed, urged Nigerians to avoid irregular migration. He highlighted the risks of such journeys, including potential slavery and sexual exploitation in Europe. Mohammed emphasized that while legal migration is acceptable, Nigerians should carefully consider the dangers associated with irregular migration routes across the desert.
