No fewer than 497 Nigerians repatriated from the Niger Republic on Friday have shared painful accounts of the hardships they suffered while attempting to migrate illegally to Libya in search of better living conditions.
The returnees were received by the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, at the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport at about 12:40 p.m.
According to officials, the deportees comprised 174 men, 97 women, 137 boys, and 89 girls. Many of them were from Kano, Jigawa, Borno, and Kaduna states.
Some of the returnees narrated how they faced severe hunger, harsh weather conditions, exploitation, and uncertainty during the dangerous journey through the desert. Others said they were stranded in Niger Republic after failing to gain access into Libya.
Several of them expressed regret over embarking on the irregular migration, noting that the experience was far from the expectations they had before leaving Nigeria in search of greener pastures.
NEMA officials said the returnees would undergo necessary documentation, profiling, and humanitarian support as part of efforts to reintegrate them into society.
The agency also reiterated warnings against illegal migration, urging Nigerians, especially youths, to avoid risky journeys that often expose migrants to human trafficking, abuse, and death.
