In collaboration with the federal government, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) has evacuated another batch of 131 Nigerians stranded in Libya.

Kabiru Musa, chargé d’affaires of the Nigerian mission in Libya, disclosed this in a statement.

According to Mr Musa, the evacuees arrived in Nigeria on Thursday via the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

He added that they included victims of human trafficking and irregular migrants on voluntary return who took Libya as a transit country, amongst others.

Mr Musa further mentioned that the repatriation exercise was part of IOM’s humanitarian voluntary return of migrants to their home countries.

He noted that the IOM and the Nigerian Mission in Libya, supported by the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, evacuated the stranded Nigerians after intervening in rescuing them from detention in Libyan facilities.

The chargé d’affaires added that the move was part of the government’s efforts to ensure that no Nigerian is stranded, unlawfully detained or maltreated in any foreign country.

“The evacuees included victims of human trafficking and irregular migrants on voluntary return who had hitherto considered Libya as a transit point for eventual journey to Europe,” he added. “On arrival, the returnees will be reunited with their families and reintegrated into society.”

(NAN)