The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) brought back 1,003 Nigerians stranded in Niger Republic and Libya into Kano in 2022.

Coordinator of its Kano Territorial Office, Nuradeen Abdullahi, said in Kano on Saturday that the exercise had the backing of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM).

“The returnees were brought back from Agadez (Niger Republic), Khartoum, Libya and Chad under the care of the IOM through a voluntary repatriation programme.

“The programme was designed for the distressed that left Nigeria to seek greener pastures in various European countries through the desert, but could not afford to return when their trips became harrowing,’’ he said.

He added that the 1,003 returnees received between April and December 2022, were 665 male adults, 113 female adults and 225 children.

One hundred and eight of the children received are female.

“The returnees were from Katsina, Kaduna, Bauchi, Sokoto, Lagos and Kano states, among others,’’ he said.

According to Mr Abdullahi, upon arrival the returnees were trained in various skills to integrate them into the society and to enable them to be self-reliant.

He advised Nigerians to avoid endangering their lives by travelling to seek for greener pastures in other countries, adding that no country is better than Nigeria.

“There are opportunities everywhere. You don’t need to insist on White Collar jobs to survive; all you need is determination to achieve,’’ Mr Abdullahi said.

He said there was the need for massive campaigns by relevant stakeholders to sensitise the populace on the dangers of seeking for greener pasture abroad.

“There is also need for serious surveillance at the borders.

“The traffickers who take Nigerians to seek for greener pastures should be arrested and prosecuted according to the law to serve as deterrent to others,’’ Mr Abdullahi said.

The returnees were received in 2022 by NEMA, the National Commission for Refugees, Migration and IDPs, and the Nigerian Red Cross among other relevant government agencies.

(NAN)