The Nation Newspaper

Tag: International Organisation for Migration (IOM)

  • 157 including nine pregnant women return from Libya

    Another batch of 157 Nigerians, including nine pregnant women, on Friday voluntarily returned from Libya with the assistance of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM).

    Mr Abraham Tamrat, Programme Manager, Migration Management Unit, IOM, Lagos, confirmed the development to Our Reporter  in Lagos.

    Tamrat said that the Nigerians arrived at the Cargo Wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos at 4.15a.m. aboard a chartered flight.

    He said that the returnees comprised 89 males and 62 females, including three children and three infants, with six medical cases.

    Tamrat said that the Nigerians returned from the Libyan cities of Janzour, Salah Adden and Tajoura.

    According to him, they were received by officials of government agencies including the National Emergency Management Agency and the Nigeria Immigration Service.

    He said that officials of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria and the police were also on ground to receive the returnees.

    He said that the IOM had assisted the return of no fewer than 8,500 Nigerians from the North African country where they had been stranded enroute Europe.

    Tamrat noted that Friday’s arrival brought to 514, the number of Nigerians who have voluntarily returned from Libya in June under the Voluntary Return Assistance Programme.

  • FG repatriates 1,213 Nigerians from Libya in Q1 of 2018 – Envoy

    The Federal Government has repatriated 1213 Nigerians  from Libya in the first quarter of 2018.

    The Charge d’Affaires of Nigeria in Libya, Mr Illiya Fachano, made this known in a telephone interview with our correspondent on Thursday.

    He said that the federal government with the help of the International Organisation for Migration ( IOM ), have been able to repatriate Nigerians from Libya and to Nigeria safely.

    “The IOM has been very supportive and helpful in our aim at ensuring that these Nigerians who were stranded in Libyan camps are able to return home safely.

    “I think that Nigerians are becoming more aware of illegal migrations and we hope to see a reduction in the number of people caught in such predicaments however, we will continue to protect and salvage our people,’’ he said.

    He added that the IOM was also supporting in the rehabilitation of the Libyan returnees, by providing funds and vocational training.

    An estimate of 3500 Nigerian were successfully repatriated from Libya in the year of 2017.

  • FG relocated 3,000 IDPs to Bama – IOM

    The International Organisation for Migration ( IOM ) said the Nigerian Government has relocated no fewer than 3,000 Internally Displaced People ( IDPs ) of Bama origin in Borno to their hometown.

    IOM said the relocation followed the reopening of the Maiduguri-Bama-Banki road on March 24 by the Nigerian Military after four years of its closure due to Boko Haram activities.

    The road, which runs from Maiduguri through Konduga, Bama, Gwoza and also connects to the neighbouring countries of Cameroon and Chad, was shut to commercial and public traffic in September 2014.

    In a flash report, IOM said the return had increased the population of people in need of humanitarian assistance.

    IOM said: “Following the reopening of the road, about 3,000 IDPs of Bama origin at Dalori I and II Camps in Maiduguri were relocated to Bama town by the Government of Nigeria, on April 2, 2018.

    “The population of people in need of humanitarian assistance has increased significantly due to the influx, and larger number of returns are expected in the coming days/weeks”.

    The UN migration agency said Bama Local Government Area (LGA) had an IDP population of 49,139 individuals from 14,064 households as per the Displacement Tracking Matrix Round XXI.

    It explained that Bama is the LGA of origin for the largest number of 203,374 of displaced persons in Borno and neighbouring states.

    “Majority of the original population in Bama were displaced to other locations due to insecurity and inaccessibility.

    “Prior to the recent population return to Bama, over 95 per cent of the remaining people in the LGA resided in Banki Camp with 33,081 individuals and Government Secondary School Camp with 16,058 individuals.

    “The Government has rehabilitated some communities in Shehuri and Kasugula wards of Bama, and IDPs are being assisted to return to these rehabilitated areas,” it said.

    Flow monitoring and emergency tracking:

    IOM also presented the displacement emergency tracking in Bama and flow monitoring along Maiduguri-Bama-Banki road showed that since March 24 when the road was reopened.

    The UN agency said: “21 buses with capacity of 75 passengers each and 67 wagons transported about 3,000 returnees from Maiduguri to Bama on April 2.

    “IOM has registered 1,688 new arrivals – returnees – in Bama since April 2, and registration activities are ongoing “.

    It added that 55 trucks carrying relief items and commercial products had made trips to Bama and surrounding locations through the reopened road.

    According to the migration agency, more than 200 public vehicles have been witnessed carrying people to and from Bama.

    The UN agency noted the activities of the Federal Government had mainly through the State Emergency Management Agency and Ministry of Rehabilitation, Reconstruction and Reconciliation.

    It said the government functionaries had trucked food items, non-food items, tricycles, small power generators and other logistical items to Bama, with the aim of encouraging people to return to the area.

    IOM said: “Traffic along the road has increased significantly, with flows involving people travelling to Bama for business, individuals visiting to ascertain the safety situation and status of their properties.

    “And many who are returning to their homes due to the improved access. It is estimated that about 4,100 people have moved along the newly opened road since March 24th”.

    NAN

  • 200 migrants from Nigeria, others drown in Mediterranean

    200 migrants from Nigeria, others drown in Mediterranean

    It was a tragic start to New Year for migrants from Nigeria and other countries as hundreds of them crossing to Italy and Spain were feared dead in the Mediterranean Sea, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) has said.

    IOM’s Public Information Officer in Libya, Christine Petré, reported that the boats carrying the migrants departed from the coastal towns of Azzawiyah and Al Khums in Libya.

    “Most of the survivors hail from African countries, including Senegal, Mali and Nigeria. The Libyan Cost Guard reported that eight were from Bangladesh while two were from Pakistan,” Petré said.

    According to IOM, and a report released by Libya’s Coast Guard, about 100 people on board remain missing.

    The UN migration agency said its officials were present at the disembarkation point in Tripoli and provided the survivors with food and water.

    Othman Belbeisi, Chief of IOM Libya Mission, said on Wednesday that about 200 migrants or refugees had died or gone missing in the Mediterranean Sea with up to 100 unaccounted for since Saturday.

    “It’s very distressing that during the first 10 days of 2018 we have seen close to 800 migrants rescued or intercepted off the Libyan coast, with more lives lost at sea.

    “More has to be done to reduce irregular unsafe movements of people along the Central Mediterranean route,” Belbeisi said.

    According to him, the tragedy came at a time when Mediterranean migrants’ death dropped sharply as IOM recorded only 26 on the Mediterranean Sea lanes in December 2017.

    Belbeisi said while January 2017 had witnessed some 254 deaths, this week’s reports suggest that the start of 2018 may be even deadlier.

    IOM reported on Tuesday that 81 Mediterranean Sea deaths of migrants or refugees were recorded in the first eight days of the year with five in Western Mediterranean waters off Spain and Morocco and the rest between Italy and Libya.

    In the latest, and third deadliest, shipwreck in the Mediterranean since Saturday, the Libyan Coast Guard rescued three rubber boats with 279 migrants made up of 19 women, 243 men, 13 boys and four girls, in an operation lasting at least 12 hours.

    The UN migration agency said it continued to provide support and direct humanitarian assistance to the survivors of this latest tragedy, many of whom now are at Libya’s Tajoura detention centre. (NAN)

  • IOM, EU evacuate 134 more Nigerians from Libya

    IOM, EU evacuate 134 more Nigerians from Libya

    The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the European Union (EU) have evacuated 134 more Nigerians from Libya.

    Mr Ibrahim Farinloye, spokesperson for the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), South-West Zone, confirmed the development to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Lagos.

    Farinloye said the new batch of returnees arrived at the Cargo Wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos on Friday at 10.20 p.m.

    He said the Nigerians returned aboard a
    BURAQ Airlines Boeing 737-800 aircraft with Registration Number 5A-DMG.

    According to him, the returnees comprise 10 adult females, 123 adult males and one infant, including a medical case.

    He said they were also received by officials of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and the Police.

    Farinloye said their return had brought the number of Nigerians repatriated from Libya in 2017 to 6,806.

    “The project of the repatriation is the programme of IOM with the funding for reintegration at the local level provided by EU.

    “IOM paid for their accommodation to stay overnight before proceeding to their various destinations,” he added.

    Also read : NEMA receives 167 Nigerians from Libya

  • 1,295 Nigerians returned from Libya in November – NEMA

    1,295 Nigerians returned from Libya in November – NEMA

    The National Emergency Management Agency ( NEMA ) says a total of 1,295 Nigerians voluntarily returned from Libya in November after being stranded in the volatile North African country enroute Europe.

    The Nigerians returned in various batches between Nov. 6 and Nov. 30 with the assistance of the International Organisation for Migration ( IOM ) and the European Union ( EU ).

    The Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency ( NEMA ), Alhaji Mustapha Maihajja, made the disclosure while receiving a fresh batch of 150 Nigerians who arrived the country on Thursday.

    The returnees were brought back aboard a Boeing 737-800 aircraft with Registration Number: 6A-DMG.

    The aircraft landed at the Cargo Wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos at about 9.15pm.

    The returnees comprised of 13 female adults and one teenage girl while the male were 133 adults, two teenage boys and one baby boy.

    They were received on behalf of Maihajja by the South West Zonal coordinator of NEMA, Alhaji Suleiman Yakubu .

    Also on ground to welcome the returnees back home were officials of the Nigerian Immigration Service ( NIS ) , the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons ( NAPTIP ), the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria ( FAAN ) and the Police.

    NAN

    Read Also: NEMA hands over relief materials to flood victims in Enugu

  • 127 Ghanaian illegal migrants evacuated from Libya – UN agency

    127 Ghanaian illegal migrants evacuated from Libya – UN agency

    The International Organisation for Migration ( IOM ), a related organization of the United Nations ( UN ) on Thursday said it evacuated 127 Ghanaian illegal migrants from the volatile situation in Libya.

    Kojo Wilmot, a national officer of IOM said the aircraft carrying these migrants arrived Ghana around 10:15 p.m. on Wednesday local time.

    Wilmot said that there was one female and two minors among the rescued migrants.

    “We promote orderly migration, but these people were caught up in a volatile situation and were being held under various forms of inhumane treatment.

    “We, therefore, intervened to protect their human rights and return them home in a dignified and safe manner,” Wilmot explained.

    Majority of the returnees, the official said, were not from Accra, Ghana’s capital, but from Takoradi, 218 km west of the capital and Kumasi, 280 km north of the capital.

    Others are from Sunyani, 400 km north of the capital and other areas across the country.

    The IOM, therefore, provided them with a means of transportation back to their final destinations and would be supporting their re-integration into their communities.

    “Due to the inhumane conditions they were being kept, most of them would need psychosocial counselling.

    “We would also work together with government of Ghana and the EU mission in Ghana to support them with basic livelihood to help enhance their integration process,” he added.

    Wilmot explained that since these immigrants were mostly undocumented, who used illegal means to enter Libya and they were forced to do menial jobs, mostly “Malaga” (plastering buildings) but were usually handed over to the police when they pursue those, who hired them for payment.

    “One Ghanaian, who had painted a complete house went to the owner to receive payment, but instead the owner called the police, who came to arrest him.

    “While trying to escape from the police, the Ghanaian was knocked down by a vehicle,” the official said.

    He added that there was also sexual violence against the female migrants being held in Libyan detention camps, where they were captured and being kept.

    IOM has identified three more detention camps across Libya with at least 266 Ghanaians among the detainees.

    “We will work with all stakeholders to ensure safe and humane return of these Ghanaians and other sub-Saharan African migrants in these conditions.

    “Considering the conditions in Libya, most of them come to us voluntarily seeking help to return home.

    “The situation is dire and we invite all stakeholders to get their hands on deck to help in bringing back these migrants to their final destinations,” he indicated.

    Xinhua/NAN

  • 826 Nigerians voluntarily returned from Libya in one month – NEMA

    826 Nigerians voluntarily returned from Libya in one month – NEMA

    The National Emergency Management Agency ( NEMA ) says a total of 826 Nigerians stranded in Libya, enroute Europe, voluntarily returned from the North African country in October.

    The Director General of NEMA, Alhaji Mustapha Maihajja, made the disclosure while receiving a fresh batch of 270 Nigerians who arrived the country on Tuesday.

    Maihajja, represented by the South West Zonal Coordinator of the agency, Alhaji Suleiman Yakubu, said the returnees were assisted back to Nigeria by the International Organisation for Migration ( IOM ) and the European Union ( EU ).

    He said that the fresh batch added to 138 Nigerians earlier brought back on Oct. 3; 257 on Oct. 24 and 161 on Oct. 26 made the total number of returnees in October 826.

    The NEMA boss urged the returnees to contribute their quota to national development, stressing that the quest to build Nigeria required the support of all and sundry.

    NAN reports that the new set of returnees arrived the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos at 7.30pm aboard a Libyan Airline aircraft with registration number 5A-LAU.

    They comprised 216 female adults, 13 teenage girls and five infants, while the male adults were 27, 18 were teenage boys and nine, baby boys.

    Other agencies which received the returnees were the Nigerian Immigration Service ( NIS ), the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons ( NAPTIP ), the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria ( FAAN ) and the Police.

    NAN

  • Qatar calls for conflict to settle migration issues

    Qatar calls for conflict to settle migration issues

    Qatar says the best way to resolve the issues of refugees and migration is to eliminate the major causes that forced those to leave their home countries, Qatar news agency( QNA ) reported on Friday.

    Qatar’s Ambassador to Lebanon, Ali Al-Marri, stated this in Doha in his speech at the opening session of the regional consultative meeting on international migration.

    Al-Marri said that factors responsible for migration are conflicts, marginalisation, economic and social weaknesses as well as instability.

    He said that Qatar would continue to support the efforts made by the UN Economic and Social Commission for West Asia ( ESCWA ) and others to reach global consensus on the issue of refugees for the benefit of the international community.

    Others are the Arab League and International Organisation for Migration ( IOM ).

    Eighteen Arab countries make up ESCWA and it is aimed at promoting economic and social development in western Asia through regional and sub-regional cooperation and integration.

    NAN

  • 121 stranded Nigerians return from Libya

    121 stranded Nigerians return from Libya

    The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) on Wednesday said it had received another batch of 121 stranded Nigerians from Libya.

    The Zonal Coordinator of NEMA, Mr Suleiman Yakubu, received them on behalf of the Federal Government, enjoining them to learn from their unpleasant experiences in the course of their sojourn.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that NEMA had on Aug. 29 received another batch of 139 returnees from Libya.

    NAN reports that the total number of Nigerian returnees brought back from Libya by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) from February, 2017 to date is 2,638.

    Yakubu said the aircraft that transported them arrived the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) at 5:30p.m on Wednesday aboard a chartered Airbus SA320 Nouvelair Flight with Registration number TS-INA.

    According to a statement signed by Mr Ibrahim Farinloye, the South-West Spokesman of NEMA, Yakubu said that the agency received the 121 returnees from the officials of IOM.

    The zonal coordinator explained that on arrival, the profiling of the returnees indicated that there were 60 female adults, one girl, while male adults were 57 with two male children and a male infant.

    “The total returnees are 61 females and 60 males amongst them are two pregnant women and one with medical issues.

    “One of the returnees, Ms Omolara Owoade, who hails from Apomu in Osun, claimed that she spent one year and two months in Libya.

    “Owoade worked as a cleaner in a hospital and when it was time for her to collect her salary, she was accused of stealing and taken to prison from where the IOM came to her rescue.

    “She said N662, 000 was collected from her by a trafficker and vowed that she would get her money back from her trafficker once she returns to Nigeria.

    “Owoade also narrated to NEMA, on her arrival, that many Nigerians are suffering the same fate,” Yakubu said.

    He also explained how Ms Iyabo Abiola from Oyo State narrated how she fell victim to the deceitful talks of the traffickers, who deceived her with a promise of 4,000 dollars per month.

    Yakubu said that Abiola vowed to expose the traffickers, usually called burger, to NAPTIP.

    The NEMA zonal coordinator said that the deportees were also received by officers from the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), the Police and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).