National Emergency Management Agency Welcomes 147 Stranded Citizens Back from Libya

Officials from the National Emergency Management Agency have greeted 147 fellow countrymen and women who faced tough times abroad upon their arrival in Lagos, highlighting the nation’s ongoing commitment to bringing home those caught in hardship overseas.
The group touched down late on Tuesday afternoon aboard a flight from Tripoli operated by Air Libya Airlines, pulling into the cargo wing of Murtala Muhammed International Airport just after half past five in the evening. This latest homecoming falls under a voluntary return effort backed by the International Organisation for Migration, working hand in hand with the central government to ensure safe and respectful journeys for those in distress.
Teams from the agency’s Lagos branch teamed up with the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants, and Internally Displaced Persons to smooth the way, treating the newcomers with care and providing essentials like fresh water, hot meals, health checks, ambulance standby, and heartfelt talks to ease their worries. Immigration officers stepped in right away to handle paperwork and biometric scans, paving the path for a steady slide back into everyday life here.
Among those stepping onto home soil were 100 grown-ups—32 men and 68 women—alongside 34 youngsters split evenly between boys and girls, plus 13 babies, with five lads and eight lasses. Many shared tales of rough patches, from money woes and unkind judgments to deep emotional strains, much like the struggles outlined in the migration body’s yearly roundup from last year.
That report painted a grim picture of over 4,700 folks brought back in the past year alone, including more than 1,100 who had fallen prey to traffickers, mostly hailing from spots like Edo, Delta, Ogun, Imo, and Lagos. Libya topped the list as the main stopover, followed by Niger, Chad, Mali, and Côte d’Ivoire, where dreams of better days often turned sour amid exploitation and despair.
Agency spokespeople hailed the smooth handover as a shining example of the government’s pledge to handle returns with grace and humanity. In a fresh update shared online, they noted: “In keeping with the central authorities’ vow to guarantee safe, respectful, and kind journeys home for its people, those arriving received nourishing food, clean drinking water, proper medical attention, ready ambulances, and supportive chats, plus practical help to smooth their settling back in. The full welcome went off without a hitch, putting the comfort and worth of each person front and centre.”
This gathering marks yet another chapter in efforts to fold returning wanderers back into the fold, offering not just a warm landing but real backing to rebuild shattered hopes and chase fresh starts. As the numbers swell, calls grow louder for deeper fixes to curb the pull of risky paths abroad, ensuring fewer families face the ache of empty chairs at the table.