No fewer than 37 children and infants are among the 180 Nigerians who have returned home from Libya under a voluntary return programme coordinated by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the Federal Government.
The returnees arrived at the Cargo Terminal of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Ikeja, Lagos, at about 4:20 pm on Tuesday, Naija News reports.
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) disclosed this in a statement issued on Tuesday and shared on its 𝕏 handle on Wednesday.
According to the agency, the group arrived from Sebha, Libya, aboard an Air Buraq Airlines flight with registration number 5A-BAE.
The returnees comprised 143 adults, including 75 men and 68 women; 26 children, made up of 12 boys and 14 girls; and 11 infants, comprising three boys and eight girls.
NEMA’s Lagos Operations Office received them in collaboration with the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons.
The agency said the Nigeria Immigration Service carried out biometric registration and documentation to confirm the identities of the returnees and keep proper records for their reintegration.
They were also provided with food, drinking water and medical screening upon arrival.
NEMA added that ambulance services were made available for those who needed medical attention, while officials provided luggage handling, logistical support and counselling.
The agency said reintegration assistance was also provided to help the returnees settle back into their respective communities.
According to NEMA, the exercise involved relevant government agencies and other partners working together to ensure that the Nigerians returned safely and were treated with dignity.
The agency added that the intervention was part of efforts to provide immediate support to Nigerians returning from Libya and assist them as they begin the process of settling back home.
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