Nigerian Government Repatriates 161 Distressed, Stranded Nigerians From Libya

The Nigerian government has announced the repatriation of 161 distressed and stranded Nigerians from Tripoli, Libya back to the country.

In a statement which was made available on Wednesday morning, the authorities said the National Agency for the Prohibition of trafficking in persons (NAPTIP) and others were on hand to receive the returnees who arrived at the Murtala Muhammad International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos on Tuesday night at about 11:05pm.

The short statement said that "The Al Buraq Air with registration number 5A-DMG and flight number BRQ189/07.TSINK.MJI arrived at the Cargo Wing of the Murtala Muhammad International Airport Ikeja at about 2305 hours with the Nigerians aboard.

"The profile of the new Returnees indicates that 100 adult females and 37 adult males were brought back, 9 female children and 7 male children and 4 each of females and males each completes were all aboard the flight that departed Tripoli at about 1722 hours.

"NAPTIP, Refugee Commission and FAAN were at the airport to receive the returnees."

SaharaReporters had in August reported that a total of 298 stranded Nigerians were repatriated directly from Libyan prisons back to Nigeria in two separate chartered flights within a week.

The returnees who had spent varying periods in various detention camps in the troubled Northern African country had complained of bitter experiences which they claimed they would never pray for their enemies to pass through.

The returnees were at that time also brought aboard Al Buraq Air Boeing 737-800 with registration number 5A-DMG arrived at the Cargo Wing of the Murtala Muhammad International Airport, Ikeja.