A total of 40 Nigerians, including 34 girls, have been released from detention in Libya, thanks to the efforts of the Nigerian Mission in Libya.
The Charge D’Affaires En Titre, Ambassador Kabiru Musa, confirmed this development in a statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday.
Ambassador Musa emphasized that the released individuals would receive ongoing support from the Nigerian Mission until they could be safely repatriated.
He took the opportunity to counsel them against undertaking such dangerous journeys again and urged them to warn their fellow compatriots about the perils of irregular migration.
“On June 27, 2023, the mission continued its consular assistance to Nigerians in Libya by securing the release of forty irregular migrants who had been arrested and detained by Libyan immigration authorities for nearly two months due to immigration offenses. Among these individuals were 34 females and six males who had been held at the Bir Al-Ghanam detention facility, located approximately 150 miles away from Tripoli, the capital city.
“It was discovered that most of them had been deceived by their traffickers, who promised them better opportunities in Libya, only to subject them to exploitation and forced labor upon their arrival.
“Upon their arrival at the embassy, we received them and urged them to return home, pledging never to undertake such a dangerous journey through the desert again. I also encouraged them to consider the embassy as their home and provide information about their traffickers and agents in Nigeria and Libya, enabling their arrest and punishment for their crimes against humanity.
“In the meantime, the mission will continue to provide for their immediate needs, including food, accommodation, clothing, and medical assistance, until they can be repatriated home through the International Organization for Migration (IOM),” Ambassador Musa stated.
The Nigerian government, recognizing Libya as a transit route for human trafficking, has been actively collaborating with the IOM and Libyan authorities to combat the issue of irregular migration.
The government has also vowed to ensure that none of its citizens remain stranded in Libya and has carried out numerous evacuation operations in partnership with the IOM to repatriate stranded Nigerians.