158 Nigerian Illegal Migrants Repatriated from Libya
The Federal Government has successfully repatriated 158 Nigerian migrants who were in Libya illegally, according to a statement released by Nigeria’s Charge d’Affaires to Libya, Ambassador Mohammed Mohammed, on Wednesday.
The group included 77 men, 45 women, 26 children, and 10 infants. Among them, 26 men were released from the Abu-Salim Detention Centre in Tripoli after being arrested during ongoing raids targeting undocumented foreigners in Libya. This latest repatriation brings the total number of stranded Nigerians returned home to 1,776.
Ambassador Mohammed highlighted that this repatriation was a joint effort between the Nigerian mission and Libyan authorities, facilitated under the International Organisation for Migration’s (IOM) Voluntary Humanitarian Repatriation program. “This marks the 12th evacuation exercise carried out by the Nigerian Mission in Libya this year,” he noted. This operation follows the repatriation of 142 Nigerian migrants from Sabha, Libya, on July 19.
Some of the migrants were rescued from the Mediterranean Sea by the Libyan Coastal Guards, while others were arrested on charges of prostitution, illegal entry, overstay, and lack of proper documentation. Additionally, some willingly approached the IOM in Libya for assistance with repatriation.
Ambassador Mohammed expressed concern over the activities of certain Nigerian individuals in Libya, which have led to a tarnished reputation for the Nigerian community. Reports indicate involvement in crimes such as kidnapping for ransom, drug peddling, prostitution, alcohol sales, cultism, and human trafficking, often in collaboration with Libyan partners. As a result, he warned that arrests and deportations of Nigerians might continue in the coming weeks and months.
The envoy urged Nigerians to avoid irregular migration, citing the increasing and coordinated raids on illegal migrants across Libyan cities. He emphasized that Libyan authorities view the influx of illegal migrants as a national security threat and are determined to address the issue through all legal means available.
