Over 18,000 irregular Nigerian migrants brought home

Libya-Slave-Camps

Nigerians and other migrants in Libya Slave Camps

FILE: Nigerians and other migrants in a Libya Slave Camp

By Jethro lbileke

No fewer than 18,079 irregular Nigerian migrants in Libya and other European countries who were willing to return home were helped back home by the International Organization of Migration (IOM), between April 2017 and October 2019.

The Awareness Raising Officer of IOM, (Nigeria), Cyprine Cheptepkeny, disclosed this Friday in Benin, Edo state, at the media launch of the Waka-Well campaign programme.

Cheptepkeny who disclosed that it was in collaboration with the federal government of Nigeria under the EU-IOM joint initiative, noted that 42 per cent of the returnees were from Edo state.

“In Nigeria from April 2017 till October 2019, IOM in collaboration with the federal government of Nigeria under the EU-IOM joint initiative has assisted about 18,079 irregular migrants to return to Nigeria from Libya and other transit and destination countries in Europe.

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“Edo state alone accounts for 42 per cent of this number,” she said.

Cheptepkeny said the IOM decided to launch the campaign on the ills associating with irregular migration in Oredo and the Ikpoba-Okha local government areas of the state, because of its prevalence in the aforementioned areas.

She said that the essence of the campaign was to bridge the knowledge gaps on regular migration options and the available opportunities in Oredo and Ikpoba-Okha.

She disclosed that it was developed in collaboration with community members from the two local government areas through a series of participatory workshops.

Earlier in her welcome address, Head of Benin Sub-Office of IOM Nigeria, Wintana Tarekgn, said Waka Well by the IOM project was the International Organization for Migration’s innovative multimedia campaign in West Africa, with a specific focus on Nigeria and Guinea with aim of preventing exploitation by empowering young people to make informed decisions about their future both at home and abroad.

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