‾
By Biola Lawal
Tripoli (Flowerbudnews): Nigeria’s newly-posted Charge’ d’Affaires en-titre to Libya,Amb.Mohammed Mohammed has warned Nigerians against irregular migrations to foreign lands without documents.
Amb. Mohammed disclosed that most of such illegal migrations usually end up in slavery and sexual exploitations in Europe, a statement by Musa Abubakar from Tripoli said.
The Envoy gave the warning on Tuesday in Tripoli, Libya during the repatriation of 122 Nigerians stranded in that country.
He noted that migrations that follow due process were allowed, but advised Nigerians to ”always ponder well before embarking on the risk of the ill-advised journey across the desert.”
Amb. Mohammed who recently assumed duty following his appointment by President Tinubu, thanked the Libyan authorities and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) for helping to facilitate the release of some of the Nigerian migrants in detention facilities in Libya.
He also thanked them for aiding Tuesday’s repatriation to Nigeria.
The 122 evacuees, comprising 52 males, 39 females (7 of whom were rescued victims of human trafficking), 21 children as well as 10 infants, were at about 1.30pm, Libyan local time, airlifted from Mitiga International Airport aboard chartered flight No.uz 189.
They were expected to land at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos,at 5 pm, Nigerian Time,from where they would be handed over to the appropriate government agencies that will re-unite them with their families.
According to official sources, Tuesday’s evacuation,conducted in collaboration with the IOM in Libya was part of its Voluntary Humanitarian Repatriation (VHR) programme.
It was the ninth carried out by the Nigerian Mission in the country this year.
It was part of the 4-D foreign policy thrust of the Tinubu Administration, which came from the directives of the Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Yusuf Maitama Tuggar.
It will be recalled that, in 2023, a total of 2,041 stranded Nigerian migrants were assisted to return home by the IOM. Within this year alone,about 1,350 stranded Nigerian nationals have also safely been assisted to return home. (Flowerbudnews)
)
