NEMA welcomes 180 stranded Nigerians from Niger Republic

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the returnees were received by the Agency at about 11:30 a.m. in Kano, accompanied by officials of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) based in Niger Republic.

According to him, the returnees have been returned to the country through a voluntary repatriation programme.

He said the programme is designed to assist distressed persons who left their home country to seek greener pastures elsewhere but could not afford to return as their journeys became frustrated.

The NEMA official said the returnees comprised 144 males, 13 females and 23 children, adding that the children included 17 girls and six boys.

“The returnees are from different part of the country; some from Lagos, Katsina, Cross River, Kaduna, Bauchi and Kano States, among others,” he said.

He said the returnees would undergo a four-day training on how to achieve self sustainability and provided with seed capital to enable them to engage in productive activities.

“We want you to serve as ambassadors, who would be sensitizing other Nigerians against irregular migration.

“You should avoid endangering your lives by travelling to seek for greener pastures in other countries, no country is better than your own country,” Abdullahi said.

The Agency, he said, received 380 stranded Nigerians between May and August 2022, repatriated from Niger Republic and Sudan.

He said the returnees had been exposed to vocational skills and provided with seed capital to enable them to set up their businesses and become self-reliant.

Recounting their ordeals, Maryam Mukhtar, a widow, said she travelled to Libya for greener pasture alongside two of her kids.

“I was employed as housemaid in an Arab house, I resisted frequent sex demand from my employer and that’s why returned home with help of the IOM,” she said.

Another returnee, Asabe Danladi, said she travelled to Libya in search of greener pastures to enable her fend for her family needs.