Majority of returnees are women and children as agency says over 65,500 Nigerians have been rescued from Libya in nine years.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has facilitated the return of 180 stranded Nigerian migrants from Libya as part of ongoing efforts to address irregular migration and assist vulnerable citizens trapped abroad.
The returnees, mostly women and children, arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos aboard a chartered flight and were immediately provided with health screening, counselling and other emergency support services. According to the IOM, many of the migrants endured detention, exploitation and harsh living conditions while attempting to migrate through irregular routes.
The agency said the evacuation was carried out in collaboration with the Federal Government and international partners to promote safe, orderly and voluntary migration. It disclosed that more than 65,500 stranded Nigerians have been assisted to return home from Libya over the past nine years, while over 30,000 returnees have benefited from psychological, social and economic reintegration support.
The development comes amid renewed warnings from the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), which cautioned Nigerians against travelling without valid documents or using illegal migration routes, stressing that such actions expose individuals to serious risks and violate immigration laws.