The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) alongside the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI) welcomed 173 Nigerian returnees from Tripoli, Libya on Tuesday, September 1st.
According to the statement released by NEMA yesterday, September 3rd, the returnees landed in Lagos aboard an Air Buraq Airlines flight with registration number 5A-BAC under the support of the Assisted Voluntary Return (AVR) programme by the International Organisation for Migration Programme (IOM), in collaboration with the Federal Government of Nigeria.
The returnees who were said to arrived around arrived at the Cargo Terminal of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, at about 5:05 in the evening, included 152 adults, comprising of 8 men and 144 women, 14 children, which were 6 males and 8 females alongside seven infants, 3 of which were males and 4 females.It revealed that two returnees were also identified as medical cases, a male and a female.
The agency assured that biometric registration and documentation of the returnees was conducted by officers of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), to support proper identification, record-keeping and subsequent reintegration processes.
Immediate humanitarian and logistical assistance, including food and water, medical screening and emergency services were provided by other involved agencies for returnees with other needs, luggage handling, reception coordination and counselling.
“The returnees were also provided with reintegration support to facilitate their safe return to their respective communities and assist them in resuming their lives following their return to Nigeria,” it stated.
Relevant government agencies and partners worked hand in hand to provide the necessary assistance and support to the returnees upon arrival, with the reception exercise successfully concluded.