The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) says it has received a batch of 150 distressed Nigerians from Niamey, Niger Republic.
The Director General of the agency, Mustapha Ahmed, received the returnees on arrival, according to a statement made available to Channels Television on Tuesday.
Ahmed was represented by Coordinator of NEMA Territorial Office, Ibrahim Farinloye.
Other agencies said to have participated in the operation were the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), the Nigeria Police and Nigeria Port Health Services.
“The returnees were voluntarily repatriated back to Nigeria due to their inability to proceed with their journeys to their initial destination countries of choice by the International Organisation for Migration,” the statement read in part.
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“The chartered aircraft Sky Mali UR-CQX with registration number FMI 6001 landed at the Cargo Wing of the Murtala Muhammad International Airport at about 1120 hours.
“The profile of the Returnees indicates that Male adult are 98, male children 11 and male infants are 2. While female adults are 24, female children are 13 and infant female are 2.”
The Head of Mission of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), Lauren de Boeck, reportedly witnessed the reception organised by NEMA.
De Boeck was said to have praised the Nigerian government and NEMA for synergy and partnership being enjoyed in their operations in the country.
