The Chairman/CEO of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has announced that over 956 Nigerians were evacuated from Libya in the first quarter of 2025.
Dabiri-Erewa credited the successful evacuation to the collaborative efforts of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) Nigeria and the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCRMI).
Providing a detailed breakdown, she stated that the evacuees included 683 females, 132 males, 87 children, and 54 infants. The returnees were brought back to Nigeria in six separate operations conducted between January and March 2025. According to the statement released by NIDCOM’s Director of Media, Public Relations, and Protocols Unit, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, the evacuation flights were carried out as follows:
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152 evacuees on January 28
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145, 180, and 159 evacuees on February 11, 19, and 25, respectively
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144 and 176 evacuees on March 4 and 18, respectively
The statement further highlighted that in recent years, over 15,000 stranded Nigerians have been repatriated from Libya through the joint efforts of the Federal Government and the IOM.
Dabiri-Erewa reiterated the Commission’s consistent advice to Nigerians to avoid dangerous and irregular migration routes, particularly through Libya, which remains politically unstable and fraught with security challenges.
She stated, “Given the fragile political situation in Libya, we have repeatedly cautioned Nigerians against using Libya as a route to Europe — and not just Libya, but other unsafe and irregular migration pathways as well.”
She also urged Nigerians to pursue migration through legal and regulated channels, noting with concern that some individuals who have been rescued from Libya eventually attempt to return via similarly dangerous routes.
Dabiri-Erewa reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to protecting the interests, dignity, and fundamental human rights of all Nigerians, both at home and abroad, regardless of their socio-economic, ethno-cultural, or religious backgrounds. She called for increased collaboration among government agencies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), the media, and other stakeholders to raise awareness about the risks associated with irregular migration.
