The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has received 158 Nigerian returnees from Libya at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.
The Director-General of the Agency, Alhaji Mustapha Habib, confirmed the development to the News Agency of Nigeria on Tuesday in Lagos.
Habib said that the returnees were received through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
Habib, represented by the Acting Coordinator of the Lagos Territorial Office of NEMA, Mr Ibrahim Farinloye, said that the returnees arrived at the Cargo Wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport at about 5.15 p.m. with Al Buraq Air boeing 737-800 with registration number 5A-DMG.
The director-general said that the returnees were made of 83 male adults, 49 female adults, six male and seven female children, with 13 infants (eight male and five female).
He said that four of the returnees were brought back with various degrees of health challenges.
He said that the returnees were brought back to the country by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) through a voluntary repatriation programme for distressed persons.
“They had left the country to seek greener pasture in various European countries but could not afford to return when their journey became frustrated, ” he said.
Habib admonished Nigerians to adopt positive attitude toward life challenges instead of seeking greener pastures in foreign lands.
He assured them that the Federal Government was conscious of the aspirations of the youth and was providing an enabling environment where everyone would achieve his full potential.
Habib assured them that the Federal Government was not relenting in giving them the opportunity to enjoy level playing grounds to achieve their potential.
He admonished them to shun social vices and look inwards and avail themselves of countless opportunities in the country.
“It is normal in life to struggle for better and improved livelihood but in the struggle we must avoid endangering our lives.
“I wish to state that there is no where in the world that its citizens will not have to strive in attaining good life within the limited resources available in that country.
“Nigeria is well endowed far more than most countries that young Nigerians are travelling to in seeking greener pastures that are no longer there.
“What we need to do is for all of us to look inward and avail ourselves of the countless opportunities in Nigeria.
“The present government has been providing enabling environment for us to thrive and will continue to cooperate with development partners in creating level playing grounds for all Nigerians in the country,” he added.
The returnees were received by NEMA, Immigration Service, National Refugee Commission, Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, International Organisation for Migration, Migration and Internally displaced Persons, NAPTIP and the Nigeria Police.