The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) on Tuesday received another batch of 143 stranded Nigerians from Libya at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.

The director-general of NEMA, Mustapha Ahmed, urged the returnees to turn a new leaf in looking for ample opportunities in the country.

“We advised the returnees on the need to realise that there’s no country better than Nigeria,” Mr Mustapha told journalists.

He added, “Here you have all the freedom to achieve your potential, looking for greener pastures in foreign is no longer a reality, those countries are not better off when you consider the challenges you encounter there and here.”

Mr Mustapha was represented by the acting coordinator of the Lagos Territorial Office of the Agency, Ibrahim Farinloye.

He said the stranded Nigerians arrived at the Cargo Wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport at about 3:18 p.m. with Boeing 737-800 Al Buraq Air with registration number 5A-DMG.

Mr Mustalha said the returnees were brought back to the country by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) through a voluntary repatriation programme.

He said 96 male adults, 36 female adults, eight male and one female child, one female infant and one male infant were brought back to the country.

He added that the returnees were received by NEMA, along with other sister agencies such as Immigration Service, Refugee Commission, Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and the Nigerian Police. 

(NAN)