Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman/CEO of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), has revealed that 956 Nigerians were evacuated from Libya in the first quarter of 2025.
In a statement by NiDCOM’s spokesman, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, Dabiri-Erewa explained that the rescue operations were carried out in collaboration with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Nigeria and the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants, and Internally Displaced Persons (NCRMI).
A breakdown of the figures shows that among the returnees, 683 were females, 132 were males, 87 were children, and 54 were infants. The evacuations were conducted in six phases between January and March 2025.
“The six trips brought back 152 Nigerians on January 28, followed by 145, 180, and 159 on February 11, 19, and 25, respectively. Another 144 and 176 arrived on March 4 and 18,” the statement read.
Dabiri-Erewa emphasized that over the past few years, more than 15,000 stranded Nigerians have been repatriated from Libya through efforts by the federal government and IOM.
Warning Against Irregular Migration
Reiterating the Commission’s stance on irregular migration, Dabiri-Erewa cautioned Nigerians against taking dangerous routes, particularly through Libya, which remains politically unstable.
“Due to the fragile political situation in Libya, we continuously warn Nigerians against using it as a transit route to Europe. This warning extends to other irregular migration pathways as well,” she stated.
She urged Nigerians to prioritize legal and regulated migration routes, pointing out that some of those previously rescued had attempted to return to Libya or take even riskier journeys to Europe.
Dabiri-Erewa assured that the Federal Government remains committed to protecting the rights and dignity of Nigerians at home and abroad, regardless of their background.
She also called for stronger collaboration among government agencies, non-governmental organizations, the media, and other stakeholders to intensify awareness campaigns on the dangers of irregular migration.
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