NEMA receives 180 Nigerian returnees from Libya in Lagos

Abdullateef Fowewe

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has received 180 Nigerian returnees from Sebha, Libya, as part of ongoing efforts to support citizens returning home under the Assisted Voluntary Return programme.

According to a statement from NEMA’s Lagos Operations Office on Wednesday, the returnees arrived at approximately 4:20 p.m. on Tuesday, 27 October 2026, aboard an Air Buraq Airlines flight (registration 5A-BAE) at the Cargo Terminal of Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Ikeja, Lagos.

“The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), through its Lagos Operations Office, has received 180 Nigerian returnees from Sebha, Libya, in collaboration with the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI) under the Assisted Voluntary Return (AVR) Programme coordinated by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in collaboration with the Federal Government of Nigeria,” the agency said.

The group consisted of 143 adults (75 males and 68 females), 26 children (12 males and 14 females), and 11 infants (three males and eight females).

Officers of the Nigeria Immigration Service conducted biometric registration and documentation upon arrival.

The returnees received immediate assistance including food, potable water, medical screening, ambulance services where needed, luggage handling, logistical support, reception coordination, and counselling.

Reintegration support was also provided to help them return to their communities.

Libyan authorities confirmed that the group departed from Sebha International Airport in a coordinated operation involving the International Organisation for Migration.

This latest reception forms part of a long-running programme.

Libya remains a major transit and destination point for irregular migrants from West Africa seeking routes to Europe.

Many Nigerians have faced difficult conditions in detention centres or informal settlements in the country.

Since 2017, the IOM-supported Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration programme, working with Nigerian authorities, has facilitated the safe return of tens of thousands of Nigerians, with thousands more assisted in recent years alone.

Regular charter flights continue to bring groups back to Lagos for reception and onward support.