By Kabiru Abdulrauf
The National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, has received 153 Nigerians repatriated from Chad under the Assisted Voluntary Return programme facilitated by the International Organisation for Migration, IOM, in partnership with the Federal Government.
NEMA disclosed in a post on its official X handle on Tuesday that the returnees arrived at the Cargo Terminal of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
According to the agency, the group comprised 105 adults (63 males and 42 females) long with 45 children and three infants. Upon arrival, officers of the Nigeria Immigration Service conducted biometric registration and documentation to ensure proper profiling and to facilitate their smooth reintegration into the country.
NEMA stated that the returnees were received with immediate humanitarian support, including food, potable water, medical care, counselling, and logistics assistance. Ambulance services and luggage handling were also provided to ensure their comfort and safety.
The repatriation exercise was jointly coordinated by NEMA, the IOM, the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, and other relevant agencies.
Over the years, NEMA, working with IOM and partner agencies, has facilitated the voluntary return and reintegration of thousands of Nigerians stranded in various parts of the world, including Libya, Niger, and Chad.
This latest effort underscores the continued collaboration between national and international agencies aimed at ensuring that Nigerians facing hardship abroad are safely returned home with dignity and given the necessary support to rebuild their lives.
