Hon. Abike Dabiri the NIDCOM Chairman
said that 956 Nigerians have been rescued from prisons in Libya within three
months in the year 2025.She said they were able to
secure their rescue with the help of the International Organization for
Migration, IOM, Nigeria and the National Commission for Refugees Migrants
and Internally Displaced Persons Offices, NCRMI.
They were brought
back to Nigeria in six different batches from January to March 2025, who were
over 132 males, 683 females, 87 children and 54 infants. The NIDCOM
Chairman said in January 28, the first set of persons that came home were152
while 145,180 and 159 came on February 11, 19 and 25 respectively while 144 and
176 came in on March 4 and 18 respectively.
She
narrated that in the last few years, over 15,000 Nigerians stranded in Libya
have been evacuated back to the country with the help of the federal government
and the international organization for migration. Dabiri urged Nigerians by way of advice to devoid of
taking dangerous migration routes to countries as Libya. That is a war-torn
country dealing with political issues. That due to the political issues in
Libya, we warn Nigerians against Libya as a pathway to Europe or other routes
but rather follow the legal means, that some returnees still return to Libya.
Regardless of their socioeconomic, ethnic cultural, or
religious backgrounds, she added, the Federal Government will prioritise the
interests and fundamental human rights of Nigerians both at home and abroad.
She also urged cooperation from government agencies, non-governmental
organisations, the media, and other pertinent stakeholders in order to raise
awareness of the risks associated with irregular migration.