On Tuesday, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) received another batch of 148 stranded Nigerians from Niamey in Niger Republic.

The NEMA coordinator in Kano, Nuradeen Abdullahi, disclosed the figure while receiving the returnees who arrived at about 4:00 p.m. at the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport.

The returnees were from Lagos, Kano, Katsina, Jigawa and Kaduna, among other states and comprised 94 males, 25 females and 29 children (13 males and 16 females).

Between February and April, NEMA received 548 stranded Nigerians from Niamey, Niger Republic and Chad.

The NEMA coordinator explained that the returnees were brought back under the custody of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) from Niamey through a voluntary repatriation programme.

Mr Abdullahi said the programme was designed for the distressed who had left the country to seek greener pastures in various European countries and could not afford to return.

“The returnees will undergo a three-day training on how to achieve self-sustainability and will be provided with capital to enable them to engage in productive ventures to be self-reliant,” he said.

The NEMA coordinator advised Nigerian youths to avoid endangering their lives by travelling illegally to seek greener pastures in other countries, saying no country is better than Nigeria.

He urged them to be determined to start a new slate by putting behind their experiences, adding that they should be ambassadors in sensitising Nigerians against irregular migration.

The evacuated Nigerians were received by NEMA together with SEMA, Nigeria Red Cross, the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and IDPs and the State Security Service.

(NAN)