BEVERLY HILLS, December 27, (THEWILL) – President Muhammadu Buhari has set up a 17-man fact-finding mission to bring back Nigerians trapped in Libya and reccomend ways to stop the exodus of Nigerians to the Arab country.
The team, which has 38 days to evacuate all Nigerians trapped in Libya, will leave for Tripoli immediately and would work with the Nigerian mission in Libya.
It has been reported that no fewer than 6,091 Nigerians have been brought back to Nigeria from Libya through collaboration between the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM).
Furthermore, about 5,037 Nigerians have signified their intention to return to the country but the number could rise, with the presence of the committee in Libya.
The 17-man team is headed by Minister of Foreign Affairs Geoffrey Onyeama.
Members of the team includes Comptroller-General of Immigration, Mohammed Babandede; NEMA Director-General, Mustapha Maihaja; Senior Special Assistant to the President on the Diaspora, Mrs. Abike Dabiri-Erewa; National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) Director-General, Julie Okah-Donli; National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouq; amongst others.
The Federal government has also established a Reception Centre in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, to be managed by the Zonal Coordinator of NEMA, to receive the over 5, 037 returnees.
The Federal Government is also to work with the governors of the returnees’ states as the returnees, after profiling, identification and documentation, will be handed over to their state governors.
