Libya: Avoid deadly pathways to migration, Nigerian Govt warns

The Government through the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) repeatedly warned that deadly pathways to migration must be avoided for people who are desperate to travel abroad.

NIDCOM disclosed this in a statement recently, while reacting to another viral video showing some Nigerians stranded in Libya and calling for help to be evacuated back home.
The Commission explained that despite the this video will be looked into, it noted that over 10,000 Nigerians were evacuated from Libya a few years ago, based on a memo by the NIDCOM Chairman, Abike Dabiri-Erewa.

It added that this was made possible through the approval of the then President, Mohammed Buhari and a coalition of multi- agency team set up to evacuate all Nigerians stranded in Libya.
The Commission revealed that for the umpteenth time, there was a clear warning by Hon. Abike Dabiri- Erewa to Nigerians to desist from that dangerous path but it seem the warning was not yielded to.

It disclosed that in the last couple of months, more Nigerians have been brought back from Libya, “thanks to the efforts of International Organisation for Migration in Nigeria, which has been regularly evacuating Nigerians stranded in Libya back home.

“Both the IOM and National Commission for Refugees, Migrants, and Internally Displaced Persons has had cause to evacuate 2467 Nigerians from Libya in 15 flights from January to September, 2024”, the Commission said.
It pointed out that despite the warning, many Nigerians continue to return to Libya and find themselves stranded again, the Commission stated further that it has brought the video to the attention of the necessary authorities.

“Like the office of the National Security Adviser who heads the multi-agency evacuation team as well as the International Organisation for Migration who has also rescued thousands stranded”, it added.

However, the Commission has sounded again another warning that Nigerians must avoid any deadly pathway to migration, and called for the arrest of these traffickers who traffick these victims, adding that they must be named and be shamed.