"Libya Continues Raids and Deportations of Nigerians Amid Security Concerns"

The Federal Government has repatriated 158 irregular Nigerian migrants from Libya.

Nigeria’s Charge d’Affaires to Libya, Ambassador Mohammed Mohammed, announced this in a statement on Wednesday. According to Mohammed, the group of returnees included 77 men, 45 women, 26 children, and 10 infants.

The envoy explained that among the 158 repatriated, 26 men were released from Abu-Salim Detention Centre in Tripoli after being detained during ongoing raids on undocumented foreigners in Libya. He stated that, 1,776 stranded Nigerians have been brought back home.

Mohammed noted that the repatriation was a joint effort between the Nigerian mission and Libyan authorities, under the International Organization for Migration’s (IOM) Voluntary Humanitarian Repatriation (VHR) program.

“This marks the 12th evacuation conducted by the Nigerian Mission in Libya this year.” The current exercise follows the repatriation of 142 irregular Nigerian migrants from Sabha, Libya, on July 19.

“Some were rescued from the Mediterranean Sea by the Libyan Coastal Guards, while others were arrested for charges including prostitution, illegal entry, overstaying, and lack of proper documentation. Others voluntarily approached the IOM in Libya for repatriation."

“Nigerians living in Libya have, in many cases, acquired damaged reputations due to the alleged criminal activities of some individuals among them. Some have been implicated in crimes such as kidnapping for ransom, drug trafficking, prostitution, alcohol sales, cultism, and human trafficking, often in collaboration with Libyan partners,” he said. “As a result, the arrest and deportation of Nigerians may continue in the coming weeks and months.”

The envoy urged Nigerians to avoid irregular migration, noting the increasing and coordinated raids on illegal migrants across Libyan cities.

He explained that the Libyan authorities view the influx of illegal migrants as a national security issue and have committed to using all legal means to address the problem.