The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) on Friday received another batch of 266 stranded Nigerians from Niger Republic.
The Director General NEMA, Mustapha Ahmed-Habib, made the disclosure while receiving the returnees at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport in Kano.
Ahmed-Habib, represented by NEMA Coordinator, Kano Territorial Office, Dr Nuradeen Abdullahi, said the returnees arrived at the international wing of Mallam Aminu Kano international Airport.
“130 returnees arrived late Thursday night at about 10:50 p.m while 136 arrived on Friday at about 3:50 a.m. with SKY MALI Airlines operated by Ethiopian airlines FML5001 with registration number VR-CQX”
He noted that the returnees were brought back to Kano under the care of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) from Niger Republic (Niamey) through a voluntary repatriation programme.
“The program was meant for the distressed Nigerians who had left the country to seek greener pastures in various European countries and could not afford to return when their journey became frustrated”
The returnees included:144 males, 56 females and 66 children.
“The returnees are from different part of the country; some from Katsina, Kaduna, Bauchi, Sokoto and Kano States, among others,” he said.
The DG further explained that the returnees would undergo a four-day training on how to achieve self-sustainability and be provided with seed capital to enable them to engage in productive activities to be self-reliant and were given refreshment.
“We want you to serve as ambassadors, who would be sensitising other Nigerians against irregular migration.
He advised the general public to avoid endangering their lives by travelling to seek for greener pastures in other countries, no country is better than our own country Nigeria.
According to him, the agency from April to Dec.13, 2022, received 723 stranded Nigerians repatriated from Agadas Niger Republic, Khartoum Sudan, Chad and were trained on various skills acquisition
He enjoined them to learn from their experiences and be law abiding citizens.
Recounting their ordeals, Hajiya Salamatu Muhammad, from Kano State said she travelled to Niger with her 6-year-old granddaughter to seek greener pastures.
“Initially I intended to travel to Algeria but on our way the driver dropped us in a town called Asamaka in Niger Republic.
“My husband is old and his shop has been seized so I had no option than to travel to seek greener pastures.
“Before I left Nigeria, I was into making Fura (millet dough ball). We spent six months in Asamaka. We suffered. In the process my granddaughter fell sick and as a result could not eat and was given drip to survive.”
Usman Kabir, another returnee from Zaria, said he sold his plot of land to travel to Libya to seek greener pastures.
“I was a phone repairer before I left Zaria. I saw one of my friends sending money to his parents from Libiya. That was why I decided to seek the greener pasture.
“My parents are poor and I am the first born so I decided to travel to enable me cater for my parents and siblings, but unfortunately I was stranded in the Sahara.
“My dream of becoming rich has ended. I feel shy to go back to my family because I came back with nothing.”
“We are many stranded in the Sahara. Many people died of snake bites.
The returnees were received by NEMA, along with other sister security agencies which include SEMA, National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and IDPs and the Nigeria Red Cross and DSS.
