The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has received another batch of 144 stranded Nigerians from Niamey in Niger Republic.
Dr. Nuradeen Abdullahi, NEMA Coordinator at Kano Territorial Office, received the returnees at rhe Malam Aminu Kano International Airport in Kano on Monday.
Abdullahi, represented by NEMA Kano Head of Human Resources, Mr Suleiman Sa’ad-Abubakar, said that the returnees arrived at the airport at about 2:30 p.m
“The returnees were transported into Nigeria by SKY MALI Airlines, operated by Ethiopian airline B737-400 with registration number UR-CQX”
He said that the returnees were brought back under the care of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) from Niamey through a voluntary repatriation programme.
“The programme is for the distressed, who had left the country to seek greener pastures in various European countries and could not afford to return when their journey became frustrated,” he said.
He said that the returnees included 106 male adults, 16 female adults and 22 children (10 female and 12 male).
Abdullahi noted that the returnees are from Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, Abia, Sokoto and Edo among others.
According to him, the returnees will undergo training in various skills.
”My advice to Nigerians is that they avoid endangering their lives by travelling to seek greener pastures in other countries, adding that no country is better than Nigeria,” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the agency between February and March received 300 stranded Nigerians from the Niamey Niger Republic.
Speaking to newsmen, one of the returnees while recounting her ordeal, Fatima Muhammad, a widow and mother of two said she travelled to Algeria to seek greener pastures with her kids
“I had no one to cater for me and my children. I decided to seek greener pastures. I regret embarking on the ill-fated journey. I thank God we came back safely
“Nigeria is far better than where we went in our quest for better lives. We suffered” Muhammad said
NAN reports that the returnees were also received by officials of the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and IDPs, Red Cross Society, Department of State Services and of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps among others.