320 Stranded Europe-bound Nigerians Rescued From Libya
320 Nigerian nationals who were left trapped in Libya have been rescued by the International Organisation for Migration.
Already, the movement is organising actions to assist in their return to Nigeria.
Libya has developed into a major hub for migrants attempting to enter Europe from several African nations.
The opposing governments of Libya decided to establish an anti-immigration organisation in Tripoli last year with the goal of organising the deportation of foreign nationals who had entered the nation illegally.
“We carried out on Tuesday the expulsion of 163 irregular migrants of Nigerian nationality from the Mitiga airport, including 107 women, 51 men and five children,” Libya migration agency’s head of security, Mohamad Baredaa, told AFP.
In a move coordinated with the IOM, Baredaa added that “160 Nigerians will be sent back to their country from Benina airport in Benghazi” later on Tuesday, Jan. 30.
An AFP correspondent saw the first group at Tripoli’s Mitiga airport early Tuesday, where they were given a laissez-passer before boarding shuttles to the plane.
According to the IOM, there are more than 700,000 migrants in Libya.