The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has received 708 Nigerians repatriated from Niamey, Niger Republic, as part of efforts to assist stranded citizens.
The returnees arrived at the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport on Monday and were received by officials of NEMA for documentation and support.
Speaking after the arrival, the Head of Operations at NEMA’s Kano office, Dr Nura Abdullahi, said the group was transported in 12 buses and is currently undergoing registration and profiling.
He disclosed that the returnees include 292 males and 416 females comprising adults and children from states such as Katsina, Kano, Jigawa, Benue, Borno, Yobe, Zamfara, Kaduna, Kogi, and Niger
According to Abdullahi, the evacuation was coordinated by the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs with immediate humanitarian support provided upon arrival.
He said the returnees were given food, temporary accommodation, and essential items including blankets, mosquito nets, and hygiene kits.
Medical teams from the Nigerian Red Cross were also on ground to attend to those in need of care, while serious cases would be referred to hospitals.
He added that arrangements have been made to transport the returnees back to their respective states after completion of the profiling process.
Abdullahi cautioned Nigerians, particularly youths, against undertaking risky migration journeys in search of better opportunities abroad.
Also speaking, the Kano Field Coordinator of the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), Hajiya Luba Liman, described the evacuation as a collaborative government effort.
She noted that the return was voluntary and facilitated by the Nigerian government in partnership with the Nigerian Embassy in Niamey.
Some of the returnees shared distressing experiences, including violence, homelessness, and economic hardship during their stay in Niger.
One returnee, Kamalu Abdullahi from Kaduna State, said he fled after attacks on Nigerians, while another, Rabi’a Inusa from Jigawa, recounted struggling to survive after traveling in search of better opportunities.
Officials from NEMA, NCFRMI, the Nigeria Immigration Service, and other agencies were present to receive the returnees.
