The International Organisation for Migration has coordinated the rescue of more than 320 Nigerians stranded in Libya, facilitating their return to Nigeria. War-torn Libya, serving as a prominent departure point on North Africa’s Mediterranean coast, sees migrants, primarily from various African regions, embarking on perilous sea voyages with the hope of reaching Europe.
According to AFP reports, Libya’s rival administrations established a Tripoli-based anti-immigration body last year, responsible for coordinating the deportation of foreigners residing in the country illegally.
The Libya migration agency’s head of security, Mohamad Baredaa, informed AFP that on Tuesday, they executed the expulsion of 163 irregular migrants of Nigerian nationality from Mitiga airport, comprising 107 women, 51 men, and five children.
In a coordinated effort with the International Organization for Migration (IOM), Baredaa further stated that “160 Nigerians will be repatriated to their country from Benina airport in Benghazi” later on Tuesday.
An AFP correspondent witnessed the initial group at Tripoli’s Mitiga airport early Tuesday, where they received laissez-passers before boarding shuttles to the plane.
According to the IOM, the number of migrants in Libya exceeds 700,000. Despite foreign countries, including the United Kingdom, tightening their immigration policies, a significant number of Nigerians are still eager to leave the country. This trend is driven by the “Japa” phenomenon, and it persists as economic conditions deteriorate, exacerbated by the devaluation of the naira.