In a continued effort to curb the dangers of illegal migration, the Nigerian government has successfully evacuated 956 stranded citizens from Libya in the first quarter of 2025, according to Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairperson of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), in a press release on Monday.
The evacuations, carried out in collaboration with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants, and Internally Displaced Persons, took place in six separate operations between January and March.
Among those repatriated were 683 women, 132 men, 87 children, and 54 infants; many of whom had endured harrowing conditions in Libya, where migrants often face detention, abuse, and exploitation. The largest single batch of evacuees, 176 individuals, arrived home on March 18.
The statement read, “Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, the Chairman/CEO, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission says over 956 Nigerians have been evacuated from Libya, in the first quarter of 2025 alone.
Read Also: Obasanjo declares democracy has failed in Africa, calls for indigenous governance approach
“The breakdown shows that 683 of them were females, 132 males, 87 children and 54 infants.
“The returnees were brought back home in six tranches from January to March 2025.
“The six trips include 152 on January 28, 145,180 and 159 on February 11, 19 and 25 respectively while 144 and 176 came in on March 4 and 18 respectively.”
Since the inception of the evacuation program, more than 15,000 Nigerians have been rescued from Libya, a country long plagued by political instability and human trafficking networks.
Despite ongoing rescue efforts, Dabiri-Erewa expressed deep concern over the persistence of irregular migration, urging Nigerians to avoid perilous routes through Libya and other unsafe pathways to Europe.
“Because of the delicate political situation in Libya, we repeatedly caution Nigerians against using it as a route to Europe—not just Libya, but all irregular migration channels,” she stated.
She also lamented the troubling pattern of some returnees attempting the dangerous journey again, despite the risks and prior interventions.