The International Organization for Migration (IOM), in partnership with the federal government and the European Union (EU), has evacuated 180 stranded Nigerian migrants from Benghazi, Libya, including two unaccompanied children, under its Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration (AVRR) programme.
The latest evacuation brings the total number of Nigerian migrants voluntarily returned from transit countries since 2017 to 65,700, as efforts continue to assist citizens stranded along irregular migration routes.
Speaking while receiving the returnees at the Cargo Terminal of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport , Ali Ibrahim said the AVRR programme is largely funded by the European Union and is designed to support migrants who become stranded while attempting irregular migration journeys.
According to Ibrahim, the returnees comprised 108 adult women and 45 adult men, bringing the number of adults to 153. The group also included 17 children—seven girls and 10 boys—and 12 infants, made up of eight girls and four boys.
He disclosed that two of the children arrived in Nigeria without their parents or guardians.
“You know it’s a dangerous migration route, so many things would have happened,” Ibrahim said while responding to questions about the unaccompanied minors.
He explained that all returnees would immediately be enrolled in an integrated reintegration programme aimed at helping them rebuild their lives.
“After their return, we support them with assistance to reintegrate into the community and rebuild their lives.
“The support could mean many things including livelihood support, business assistance, assistance with education, and also other needs as they arise,” he said.
Ibrahim revealed that irregular migration continues to take a heavy toll on Nigerians, noting that 7,625 citizens had been voluntarily evacuated from North African countries between January and June 2026 alone.
Addressing concerns about returnees attempting the journey again, he stressed that migration is not illegal but should be undertaken through safe and regular channels.
“Voluntary return means that you are a migrant, and you are in another country, and you find yourself in a stranded situation, and you make a choice to come back to your country of origin.
“Migration is a choice. What we are trying to promote is that that migration choice should be made right. We promote safe migration where we support access to the right information so that people can make the right choice,” he said.
The IOM official also disclosed that repatriation operations have now been scaled up to a weekly schedule through major entry points in Lagos and Kano.
He added that rescued Nigerians continue to arrive regularly through commercial flights at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport as authorities intensify efforts to assist stranded citizens and discourage dangerous irregular migration routes.
