An additional 180 Nigerians are expected to arrive Nigeria from Libya by next week Tuesday, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Abike Dabiri-Erewa has said.
She also revealed that more Nigerians are expected to be deported from foreign countries in the weeks ahead as anti-immigration sentiments rise in many parts of the world.
The Presidential aide said this while playing host to the Federal Commissioner, National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, Sadiya Farouk, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Friday.
Dabiri-Erewa said that it would be the third batch of Nigerians that will be returning from Libya in the last one month after 171 returned on February 21 and 161 returned on February 14.
She noted that the Federal Government expects more Nigerians back in the country following the current happenings around the world.
She added that her office collaborate with the refugee commission to sensitise Nigerians on the need to avoid some countries.
“Your visit is timely because we expect more migrants back home. In fact,180 Nigerians are expected back from Libya on Tuesday,” Dabiri-Erewa told the refugee commissioner.
“With what is going on around the world, it is going to be worse. “We will work with your commission to continue to sensitise Nigerians on the need for them to know that some places are not just worth it.”
In her remarks, the federal commissioner, Farouk, commended Dabiri-Erewa for her efforts at ensuring that Nigerians in diaspora are treated with dignity.
She condemned the xenophobic attacks against Nigerians and other African Nationals in South Africa and pledged her commitment to a sustained advocacy to end such unwarranted attacks.
She promised to work with the presidential aide in organizing sensitization programmes that will “better inform Nigerians on their options so they can make informed decisions and develop realistic expectations when travelling outside the country.”
Farouk added that a “migration desk” will be established “in all states and local governments which will provide sensitization from the grassroots level in order to curb the root causes of irregular migration.”
She said that the commission has also developed a return, readmission and reintegration programme which provides referrals to settlement services for returnees as “what is currently obtainable is an ad-hoc approach which is not sustainable.”
According to the refugee commissioner, the new programme “when operationalised will ensure that the returning Nigerian migrants are adequately reintegrated into the society.”