The Federal Government, working alongside the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), has successfully brought back more than 2,000 Nigerians who were stranded in Libya, Niger Republic, and Sudan within the first four months of 2025, Sunday PUNCH has learnt.
Details from agencies such as the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) reveal that most of the returnees were evacuated from Libya and Niger.
A closer look at the figures shows that 1,303 Nigerians were airlifted from Libya, 750 from Niger Republic, and 140 from Sudan.
The repatriation efforts were carried out in phases: 542 citizens were returned in January, 664 in February, and 640 in March from the three countries combined.
In April, another 347 individuals were evacuated from Libya alone.
These statistics do not include the recent rescue operation that saw 231 Nigerians trafficked to Ghana brought back home.
In a recent advisory, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through its spokesperson Kimiebi Ebienfa, urged Nigerians—particularly young people—to be wary of deceptive job offers promising opportunities abroad.
The ministry advised citizens to always verify international employment offers through official government platforms to avoid falling into the hands of traffickers or illegal recruiters.
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