Abuja, Nigeria – July 2025
The Federal Government, through the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), in collaboration with the International Organization for Migration (IOM), has received 146 Nigerian migrant returnees who were stranded in Agadez, Niger Republic.
The returnees, who arrived via a chartered flight at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, were profiled and received by officials of the NCFRMI, alongside personnel from other relevant government agencies including the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), and the Federal Ministry of Health.
The returnees comprised men, women, and children who had embarked on irregular migration journeys in search of better opportunities but were stranded in transit and unable to continue. They were repatriated under the IOM’s Voluntary Humanitarian Return Programme.
Speaking at the reception, NCFRMI Federal Commissioner, Hon. Tijani Ahmed, welcomed the returnees back home and reassured them of the government’s commitment to supporting their reintegration into society. He emphasized the dangers of irregular migration and encouraged the youth to explore safe, legal, and productive means of pursuing opportunities.
The returnees were provided with temporary shelter, food, medical checks, dignity kits, and counseling. Plans are underway to reintegrate them into their respective communities through skill acquisition, psychosocial support, and empowerment schemes coordinated by the government and development partners.
The exercise underscores the Federal Government’s ongoing efforts to safeguard the welfare of Nigerians abroad and discourage irregular migration through awareness, safe return, and reintegration programmes.
