143 Stranded Nigerians Arrive Lagos From Libya
BY CHINYERE OBIORA – A fresh batch of 143 stranded Nigerians was on Tuesday evening received by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) as they arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos from Libya.
According to NEMA, “The Returnees were brought back to Nigeria through the Cargo Wing of the MMIA, with Al Buraq Air Boeing 737-800 registration number 5A – DMG at about 1518 hours”.
They were received by the Director General of NEMA, Alhaji Mustapha Ahmed, who was represented by the Acting Coordinator of the Lagos Territorial Office of the Agency, Mr Ibrahim Farinloye.
Speaking through Farinloye, the NEMA Boss said the returnees were brought back to the country by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) through a voluntary repatriation programme.
He said the programme was meant for the distressed Nigerians who had left the country to seek greener pastures in various European countries but could not afford to return when their journey became frustrated.
Farinloye, who disclosed that the returnees consist of 96 male adults, 36 female adults, eight male and one female child, one female infant and one male infant, urged them to turn a new leaf in looking for ample opportunities abound in the country that are enough for everyone to achieve their desired goals.
Also urging the returnees to shun vices they must have been exposed to in their country of departure in order to fulfill their potentials in a peaceful and conducive atmosphere, the NEMA official said; ”We advised the returnees on the need to realise that there’s no country better than Nigeria.
”Here, you have all the freedom to achieve your potentials, looking for greener pastures in foreign is no longer a reality, those countries are not better off when you consider the challenges you encounter there and here.
”You are encouraged to be positive ambassadors toward advocacy and sensitisation against irregular migration that leave the youths vulnerable to all sorts of abuses and death in extreme cases.
”There are ample opportunities for all of us to thrive and live happily in virtuous and God fearing manners in Nigeria without unnecessarily exposing ourselves to undeserved dangers in foreign lands.”
The returnees were received by NEMA, along with other sister agencies that include: Nigeria Immigration Service, Refugee Commission, Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and the Nigerian Police Force.
Among the returnees profiled are a female and a male adult with serious medical issues. However, the nature of their sicknesses was not made public by NEMA, an agency established by the Federal Governmen, via Act 12 as amended by Act 50 of 1999, to handle emergency and disaster-related issues in Nigeria.
