The Nigerian Government has repatriated 101 stranded Nigerians from Libya, a statement said on Saturday.
According to the statement, those repatriated from Libya included 22 family members of slain members of the terrorist group, Islamic State.
The arrived in Nigeria on Friday, said the statement issued by the Head, Media, Public Relations and Protocols, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abdur-Rahman Balogun.
The returnees were received by officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; NIDCOM; Nigeria Centre for Disease Control; National Drug Law Enforcement Agency; National Emergency Management Agency; Department of State Services; Nigeria Immigration Service and Port Health.
The statement read, “The stranded Nigerians include the 22 family members of suspected former members of ISIS that were killed in Libya as well as their children.
“All evacuees came with Negative PCR test for Covid- 19, and landed at exactly 10.15 pm at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport GAT wing, aboard Airforce C130.”
Recall that the Nigerian Mission in Tripoli had on Friday it was evacuating 100 Nigerians stranded in Libya, with another set of 100 stranded Nigerians to be returned home in the next 10 days.
This comes as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said there were 42,210 registered refugees and asylum-seekers currently in Libya.
Kabiru Musa, Chargé d’affaires en titre of the Nigerian Embassy in Libya, in a statement said among those to be repatriated are victims of human trafficking and those detained in Libyan prisons for migration offences, among others.
He said the evacuation was being carried out under the coordination of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Nigeria with the support of the Ministry of Defence.
“Under special arrangements, NAF aircraft C-130 H evacuated 100 stranded Nigerians detained in various Libyan prisons after they had served respective jail terms.
“The aircraft arrived Tripoli on Friday, 13th August 2021 at 2.00 pm local time for the evacuation exercise.
“The repatriated Nigerians included men, women and children some of whom are either victims of human trafficking or of ISIS reign of terror held captives for several years until their captors were killed.
“Others were jailed for committing migration offenses.
“The Embassy in fulfilling its obligations to Nigerian citizens exerted efforts with coordination of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to ensure the return of the Nigerians home and to reunite them with their families.
“The exercise was successfully carried out with the support of the Ministry of Defense which provided the aircraft.
“The exercise will be a continuous one until all Nigerians stranded in Libya are returned home. Already, another batch of 100 Nigerians are set to be evacuated in ten days,” Musa stated.
