The federal government has successfully repatriated 403 Nigerian migrants stranded in the Niger Republic, according to the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants, and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI).
The returnees arrived on Saturday, including 165 males, 56 females, and 182 children and infants, reports The Nation.
Their return was facilitated through a coordinated multi-agency effort involving the Nigerian Mission in Niamey and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM).
This operation marks the second batch of voluntary returns from the Niger Republic within the week, following the repatriation of 310 individuals on Tuesday, December 17, 2024. In total, 713 Nigerians have been returned to the country in the past week.
At the reception ceremony, Tijani Ahmed, the Federal Commissioner of NCFRMI, represented by the Kano State Coordinator, Mrs. Lubah Liman, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to reintegrating the returnees into various initiatives under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Ahmed praised the seamless collaboration among agencies that ensured the operation’s success.
He highlighted the federal government’s dedication to the safe and dignified return of Nigerians stranded abroad and stressed the importance of multi-agency cooperation in tackling migration challenges.
