The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has received 147 stranded Nigerians repatriated from Libya under the Assisted Voluntary Return (AVR) initiative supported by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the Federal Government.
In a statement posted on Wednesday via X, NEMA said the returnees arrived at the Cargo Terminal of Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, aboard an Air Libya Airlines flight (registration number 5A-BAE) around 5:15 p.m. on October 21, 2025.
The Lagos Operations Office of NEMA coordinated the reception in collaboration with the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI).
According to the agency, the returnees included 100 adults (32 males and 68 females), 34 children (18 males and 16 females), and 13 infants (5 males and 8 females). Officials of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) were on hand to conduct biometric registration and documentation to ensure proper identification and reintegration.
“In line with the Federal Government’s commitment to ensuring the safe, dignified, and humane return of its citizens, the returnees were provided with food, potable water, medical care, ambulance services, counselling, and logistical support to aid their transition,” the agency stated.
NEMA noted that the reception process was well-coordinated and centred on the welfare and dignity of all returnees.
This latest batch forms part of Nigeria’s ongoing reintegration efforts under the IOM’s Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration (AVRR) programme, which helps migrants stranded abroad voluntarily return home safely.
According to the IOM’s 2024 Annual Report, a total of 4,760 stranded Nigerians were repatriated last year through the AVRR programme — comprising 2,435 men and 2,324 women. The main host and transit countries were Libya (1,631), Niger (1,088), Chad (523), Mali (338), and Côte d’Ivoire (263).
The report further revealed that 1,101 of the returnees were identified as victims of trafficking, most of whom were from Edo, Delta, Ogun, Imo, and Lagos states.
