4th July, 2019
Nine Nigerians were among the 44 migrants killed in an airstrike on a detention centre in Tajoura, Tripoli on Tuesday night.
Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa, the Executive Chairman/CEO, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), said some of those killed had been profiled to leave Libya in the coming days.
International Organisation for Migration(IOM) said that more than 180 others staying in the same detention centre were registered to return to their home countries through the UN agency’s voluntary migrant return programme, which helps arrange their documents and transport.
In a statement on Thursday, Dabiri-Erewa condoled with families of the nine Nigerians.
She said it was regrettable that migrants survived a treacherous journey only to be killed in someone else’s war in Libya.
“It is disheartening that nine Nigerians have been identified as victims in the unfortunate incident.
”Nigerians, who were due to be airlifted back to Nigeria, were cut down in their prime,” she said.
The NIDCOM boss reiterated her call for Nigerians, especially the youths, to shun movement into hostile countries.
According to her, if they must travel, they should do so legally with a legitimate mission to those countries.
Dabiri-Erewa prayed for the repose of the souls of all the people, who died in the airstrike and sent condolence messages to the families of the victims.
She noted that more than 13.000 migrants had been brought home so far, from Libya, and expressed appreciation to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), NEMA and other international agencies involved in the evacuation of the migrants.
She, however, called on the UN to hasten up in the protection of other detention centres from such attacks.
IOM has moved around 40,000 migrants out of Libya through the same program me.
The airstrike on the Tajoura centre where at least 600 people were being held, came less than two months after another airstrike landed less than 100 meters from the centre, injuring two people.