Over 4,000 stranded Nigerians repatriated in 2023 – IOM, NEMA
The Federal Government and the International Organisation for Migration evacuated no fewer than 4,055 stranded Nigerians between February and July 2023.
This is according to figures obtained from the IOM and the National Emergency Management Agency.
Checks by our correspondent on Friday showed that 2,849 stranded Nigerians were evacuated from Sudan, 752 from Libya, 441 from the Niger Republic and 13 from Saudi Arabia in the last seven months.
Saturday PUNCH gathered that in July, 205 stranded Nigerians were evacuated from Sudan, 340 stranded Nigerians from Sudan and Libya were received in June, while 2,678 were received in May from Sudan, Saudi-Arabia and Niger Republic.
Also, 403 stranded Nigerians were evacuated from Libya and Niger Republic in April, 279 stranded Nigerians received in March from Libya and 150 were received in February from Niger Republic.
The PUNCH reported that the Federal Government had spent not less than N4,497,469,900 evacuating Nigerians stranded in foreign countries during crises in five years.
The National President, Association of Retired Career Ambassadors of Nigeria, Ambassador John Shinkaiye, who previously spoke to The PUNCH, said irregular migration was becoming worrisome, noting that unskilled migrants were taking security risks.
