Federal Government commences Mass Evacuation of Nigerians Stranded in Libya back home
A Federal Government Delegation led by the Hon Minister of Foreign Minister Affairs Geoffrey Onyema and comprising of the Director General of National Emergency Management Agency Engr Mustapha Maihaja and other heads of relevant agencies has arrived Libya to commence the process of massive evacuation of Nigerians stranded in the North African country back home.
The delegation arrived Tripoli, Libya on Wednesday ahead of the actual evacuation operation that is expected to commence on Friday (tomorrow) with the airlift of the stranded Nigerians by two indigenous carriers engaged for the exercises.
A total of 5, 037 stranded citizens have been identified for the evacuation back home. The Nigerian mission in Libya is coordinating the identification of the Nigerian migrants with the support of the International Organization for Migration and are being joined by a technical team for the evacuation exercise comprising representatives of all relevant agencies.
A reception centre has been established in Port Harcourt where the returnees on their arrival would be formally received and profiled before being transported to their various states.
The evacuation exercises is being led by the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs and coordinated by the National Emergency Management Agency with the involvement of all the relevant agencies.
The Federal Government delegation that has arrived Libya are made up of the Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs Geoffrey Onyema, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora Hon Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Director General NEMA Engr Mustapha Maihaja, Comptroller General of the Nigerian Immigration Service Muhammadu Babandede, Director General National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons Julie Okah-Donli, Federal Commissioner National Commission for Refugees Sadiya Umar Faruq and representatives of other security agencies.
Sani Datti
Head, Media and Public relations
4th January 2018
