The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has confirmed the reception of 153 Nigerian nationals repatriated from the Republic of Chad, as part of the federal government’s ongoing efforts to assist distressed migrants returning home.
According to a statement issued by the agency’s Kano territorial office, the returnees arrived at Malam Aminu Kano International Airport aboard a chartered flight coordinated by the International Organization for Migration (IOM). The group comprises men, women and children who had travelled abroad in search of greener pastures before becoming stranded.
“The Programme is for distressed Nigerians who sought greener pastures abroad but could not sustain their journey,” said Dr Nuradeen Abdullahi, NEMA Kano Coordinator.
Details of the returnees’ profiles include:
153 total individuals, made up of adult males, adult females and children under various age brackets.
Origins from states including Kano, Katsina, Borno, Yobe, Adamawa and Akwa Ibom.
Upon arrival, the returnees were profiled, documented and received medical checks before being transferred to a reintegration centre in Kano for further counselling and skills-acquisition programmes. NEMA has indicated that the beneficiaries will undergo vocational training and be provided with start-up capital to foster self-reliance.
Mr. Abdullahi also used the occasion to counsel Nigerians contemplating migration to avoid the risks of irregular travel, emphasising that “no country is better than our country, Nigeria.”
The repatriation exercise mirrors previous operations, including the return of 150 Nigerians from Chad in May 2024 and 104 in April 2023, as part of collaborative efforts between NEMA, IOM and other stakeholders to mitigate migration-related harm. (TheCable)
