The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has received
another batch of 136 stranded Nigerians from Libya.
Idris Muhammed, Coordinator, Lagos Territorial Office of NEMA,
confirmed the development to journalists on Tuesday in Lagos.
Mr Muhammed said the Nigerians arrived at the Cargo Wing of
the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, at 11.50 p.m on Monday
aboard a chartered Al Buraq Air aircraft with registration number DMG-MJI.
According to him, they were brought back by the
International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and European Union under the
Assisted Voluntary Returnees (AVR) Programme.
He said: “The returnees are made up of 59 adult females,
four female children and five female infants.
“Also, there are 63 adult males, two male children and three
infant males.”
Mr Muhammed said the returnees were welcomed by NEMA and
other agencies, including the National Refugees Commission, National Agency for
the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons as well the Nigeria Immigration
Service.
One of the returnees, Kehinde Fatukasi, from Ekiti State,
while narrating his experience said he deeply regretted embarking on the
journey to the volatile North African country.
The 42-year-old man said he left Nigeria in 2016 accompanied
by his wife and six-year-old son.
Mr Fatakusi said upon getting to Libya, the family was
kidnapped and sold into slavery but fortunately, his wife managed to escape.
According to him, he later found out that those in captivity
were being sold to organ traffickers which prompted him to escape from the camp
with his son.
“I was there (Libya) with my wife who had returned to
Nigeria. I believe she would have thought that we are dead.
“The Arabs treated us like slaves. You work without being
paid and so many of us were killed while watching the killings.
“All of us here don’t fear death; we have seen what is more
than hell.
“The Libyans don’t care if you are black or not, the
treatment given to us (blacks) is same they give to their Arab neighbours from
Tunisia or Algeria.
“Once they need someone to work, those chosen must follow
them. Any refusal not to follow will be to kill that person instantly,” he
said.
Mr Fatakusi, while thanking God for bringing him and his son
safely back to Nigeria, said he intended taking up farming as a means of
survival.
He added: “Libyans are great farmers in spite of the fact
that their country is in desert. I came back to Nigeria with irrigation tools
like water sprinkler which will aid me to start afresh.
“I will work very hard to see that my son gets very good
education and give my wife a restful life to enjoy our marriage.
“If I had adequate information about the lies of better life
outside, I would not have tried to leave Nigeria.
“I wanted to travel to Germany. A friend assured me of
better life but immediately we got to Niger Republic I began to regret my
decision, and I didn’t know that what I experienced in the desert was just a
child’s play.”
Mr Fatakusi advised Nigerians to be patient and struggle to
make better use of resources available in the country instead of risking their
lives in Libya or trying to cross the deadly Mediterranean Sea into Europe.
(NAN)
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