The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Libya

  • Protests erupt in Libya over reported talks with Israel

    Protests erupt in Libya over reported talks with Israel

    Protests have erupted in Libya after Israel said its foreign minister had met with his Libyan counterpart in spite of the two countries having no formal diplomatic links.

    Libyan media reported this on Monday.

    Prime Minister Abdul-Hamid Dbeibeh suspended Foreign Minister Najla Mangoush after she met with Israeli counterpart Eli Cohen, news portal al-Wasat Gate reported.

    Meanwhile, the Libyan Foreign Ministry denied Mangoush had held formal talks with Cohen and said the meeting in Rome was a casual, non-official, and previously unprepared meeting.

    In an online statement, the ministry said it fully and categorically rejected any normalisation of relations with Israel.

    Under a 1957 Libyan law, dealing with Israel is punishable by law, by up to nine years in prison.\

    Read Also: Niger: Another Libya in the making?

    The Libyan news site Al-Wasat reported on Monday, citing security circles that the foreign minister had meanwhile flown to Turkey on a government plane.

    The source added that the minister left the airport with the help of the Internal Security Agency.

    The parliament based in eastern Libya called for an emergency meeting on Monday to discuss what it termed as the “legal and ethical crime against the Libyan people,’’ referring to the reported encounter.

    Protesters reportedly set fire to the residence of Dbeibeh and called for his resignation on Sunday night.

    It was not immediately clear if Dbeibeh was at the residence.

    Libya has been in turmoil since the overthrow of Dictator Moamer Gaddafi in 2011.

    Countless militias are still fighting for power and influence in the oil-rich country.

    The conflict is further fuelled by foreign states.

    Currently, two rival governments are fighting for power in the country.

    All diplomatic efforts to settle the conflict peacefully have failed so far.

    (dpa/NAN)

  • Libya to deport another 131 Nigerians

    Another batch of 131 Nigerians would be deported into the country on Wednesday, May 22, 2019 from the North African country – Libya.

    The impending returnees, consisting of males, females and toddlers are expected to land in the country at 9pm on Wednesday through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.

    A source close to one of the security agencies at the Lagos Airport, confided in our correspondent that a chartered aircraft, a Boeing 787-800, belonging to Buraq Airlines with the registration number 5ADMG would return the deportees to Nigeria.

    The Nigerians are being deported from the war-torn North African country for illegally entering and residing in Libya.

    The stranded Nigerians would be assisted back to the country through the humanitarian efforts of International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and special funding from European Union (EU) for reintegration process for the voluntary returnees after their futile attempts cross over to Europe through Libya.

    The source told our correspondent that all the security agencies at the Lagos Airport had been notified of the impending return of the Nigerians.

    Read Also: 180 Nigerians deported from Libya

    Some of the security agencies included – the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), Aviation Security (AVSEC), Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), Nigeria Police, Department of Security Service (DSS) and several others.

    Besides, it is expected that officials of National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) would receive the deportees on arrival in Nigeria.

    It would be recalled that the exercise has been ongoing since 2017 with the 66th flights performed late last month.

    As at the last time, over 13, 000 Nigerians have been returned to the country through the exercise.

    Most of the returnees had planned to use Libya as a departing point to Europe, but were later stranded in the North African country.

  • 180 Nigerians deported from Libya

    NEMA has received a batch of 180 stranded Nigerians from Libya.

    The Returnees comprised of adults female 82, female children 2 and female Infants 11 while the adults male were 79 with 1 male child and 5 male infants maki g the total of 95 females and 85 males.

    The Returnees arrived Nigeria aboard Buraq Air with flight number UZ 189 – 190 and registration number 5A-DMG which departed MJI Airport Tripoli, Libya and landed MMIA Cargo Wing, Ikeja, Lagos.

    Welcoming the Returnees back to Nigeria, the Coordinator, NEMA’s Lagos Territorial Office, Alhaji Idris Muhammed, enjoined the Returnees to make better use of their bitter experiences in positive ways by turning a leaf and forge ahead of the dangers and risks that they have escaped in the course of their unfortunately sojourn.

    He enjoined all the segments of the society to see the menace of irregular migrations as emergency situation. He said that any situation where a live is under threat is considered to be emergency risk and all hands must be on deck to stem to stop and prevent the the threat.

    The Coordinator explained that in emergency situations, everyone has a role to play, the media, NGO, government agencies and especially parents must partner and cooperate to stem the menace of irregular with continuous enlightenment and awareness creation across the board.

     

     

  • NEMA receives 180 Nigerians from Libya

    The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has received another batch of 180 stranded Nigerians from Libya.

    Alhaji Idris Muhammed, Coordinator, Lagos Territorial Office of NEMA, confirmed the development to newsmen on Tuesday in Lagos.

    Muhammed said the Nigerians arrived at the Cargo Wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos at about 9.30 p.m. on Monday aboard a chartered Buraq Air aircraft with registration number 5A-DMG .

    According to him, they were brought back by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and European Union under the Assisted Voluntary Returnees (AVR) Programme.

    He said: “The returnees are made up of 82 female adults, two female children and 11 female infants.

    “Also, there are 79 male adults, one male child and five male infants making up 95 females and 85 males.”

    Welcoming the returnees, Muhammed advised them to put their bitter experiences in the volatile North African country behind them and look to the future with renewed hope.

    He enjoined all the segments of the society to see the menace of irregular migrations as emergency situation.

    According to him, any situation where a life is under threat is considered to be emergency risk and all hands must be on deck to prevent the threat.

    Muhammed therefore, charged the media, governments and non-governmental organisations as well as parents to join forces in stemming the tide of irregular migration in the country.

    NAN reports that another batch of 160 Nigerians are also expected to arrive today (Tuesday) from Libya at about 8.30 p.m.

  • AFCON under 23 Qualifiers: Libya beat Dream Team 2-0 in Tunisia

     

    Nigeria’s under 23 side otherwise called Dream Team, Wednesday in Tunis lost the first leg of their two legged AFCON Under 23 Nations cup qualifier 2-0 to their Libyan counterparts.

    The young Libyans shot into the lead in the first 45 minutes and held tenaciously to their lead as the Dream Team concentrated mainly on midfield play while finding it difficult to penetrate into the vital arrears of their opponents.

    As if the day was meant to be a day of lamentation for the Imama Amapakabo led team, Goalkeeper Adamu Abubakar was giving the marching orders after bagging a red card for handling the ball outside his area.

    His sending off further mounted pressure on the Nigerian side while the Libyans saw his ouster as a ginger as they increased the tempo of their game which yielded result as they grabbed the second goal in the 69th minute.

    Not even the introduction of Chidera Ezeh in place of Muyiwa Olabiran could turn the table as they Libyans held their ground to the end of the match.

    Taiwo Awoniyi’s 53rd minute chance was the closest the Dream came to salvaging the situation but it was blown away.

    The team will now need to dig deep to post a five star performance when they file out for the second leg on Monday 25th match at the Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba.

    Prior to the battle of Tunis, Çaykur Rizespor of Turkey and Nigeria U-23 team captain, Azubuike Okechukwu had declared that he and his teammates are in super form and not in any form of pressure.

    Azubuike who was part of the team that made it to the Rio Olympics in 2016, added that his wealth of experience will come handy.

    “We will have to play every game like it’s a final because that is the mentality we need to qualify” he had said in a chat with brila.net

    Now that the first leg has come and gone with the result in Libya’s favour, Azubuike and his teammates will have to review their strategy if they wish to move to the next stage of qualification.

  • Libya deports another batch of 174 Nigerians

    Another batch of 174 Nigerians stranded in Libya, a North African country, were on Thursday night deported.

    The deportees were received at the cargo wing of the Lagos international airport by officials of National Emergency Management Agency.

    The coordinator of NEMA’s Lagos Territorial Office, Mallam Idris Muhammed, said with this batch, the total number of stranded Nigerians deported from Libya is now 12,574 .

    In addition, Muhammed said over 4,900 of the deportees have been given empowerment training by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) through special funding facilitated by the European Union.

    He said most of them have set up various businesses in their occupations.

    He explained that Thursday’s flight was the 64th flight since the Programme of Assisted Voluntary Returnees initiated by European Union, but being implemented by the IOM, started in April, 2017.

    The deportees were brought back aboard Al Buraq Airline in Boeing 737-800 aircraft with flight number UZ 389-390 and registration number 5A-DMG from Sebha City and arrived Cargo Wing of MMIA, Ikeja, Nigeria about 9:45 p.m.

    The deportees comprise 62 adult females, 11 female children and 11 female infants , bringing the  total  number of females to 84  while the males comprise 74 male adults, 12 male children and 15 male infants making it a  total of 90 males .

    Whilst addressing the deportees on arrival, the coordinator assured them of Federal Government’s readiness to continue supporting and collaborating with other development partners in providing enabling environment for the realization of their potential.

  • Another 164 Nigerians deported from Libya

    The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has received a fresh batch of 164 Nigerians who failed to travel to Europe for greener pasture and got stranded in Libya.

    Receiving the returnees, Ibrahim Farinloye, on behalf of the Coordinator, Lagos Territorial Office of the agency, Alhaji Idris Muhammed, implored them to seize the fresh opportunity that they have in starting a positive and fruitful life within the abundant resources available in Nigeria.

    “There’s nothing bad in the quest for improved and better in the world but the method and process in seeking greener pastures overseas are mostly wrong and entail avoidable risks.

    “One will not appreciate the abundant resources God have endowed us with in Nigeria until you travel out.

    “All of you have gone and fortunately come back alive and you are at the best position to tell the story to those still aspiring to embark on such journey.

    Read also: 160 Nigerians deported from Libya

    “We understand that many of you were deceived with very juicy opportunities overseas and these are mostly your close relatives.

    “You need to assist the government to stem the menace of trafficking by giving information to government agencies who are going to protect your identity and safety.

    “The traffickers are not ghosts, you know them and you need safe other youths from falling victims.”

    The International Organisation for Migration facilitated their return with special funding by the European Union in an assisted voluntary returnees programme that would end in April 2020.

    The returnees were brought back onboard Chartered Al Burag Airline Boeing 737-800 flight number 89 with registration number 5A-DMG

    They arrived the Cargo Wing of Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja at about 12:15 on Friday noon.

    Farinloye said among the returnees were 71 female adults, 17 female children and 6 female infants.

    “There are 55 male adults 13 male children and 2 male infants.

    “Amongst them are 3 returnees with medical cases and a pregnant woman, who fell into labour upon arrival in Nigeria,” he stated.

  • Libya’s sovereign wealth fund chairman detained — official

    The chairman of Libya’s LIA sovereign wealth fund, Ali Mahmoud Hassan Mohamed, was detained on Wednesday for an investigation into alleged “corruption and exploitation of (his) position,” an official in the attorney-general’s office said.

    The LIA said in a statement it was confident he would be proved innocent.

    Mohamed was appointed by the U.N.-backed government in Tripoli. A rival government operates in Eastern Libya.

    The official in the attorney-general’s office said Mohamed was being interrogated, declining further comment. Mohamed could not be reached for comment.

    The LIA holds about $66 billion-worth of mostly frozen assets under United Nations sanctions imposed in 2011 when veteran ruler Muammar Gaddafi was toppled in a NATO-backed uprising.

  • 162 Nigerians deported from Libya

    ONE hundred and sixty two Nigerians stranded  in Libya yesterday arrived in Lagos .

    They were returned home under an assistance programme facilitated by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).

    The returnees, comprising 100 females, including four pregnant women and 62 males, arrived at the cargo section of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos in the early hours of yesterday aboard Libyan Airlines.

    NEMA’s Coordinator , Lagos Territorial Office, Idris Muhammed, who received the returnees, said their profiling “shows that they were 82 adult females, 13 female children and five female infants”.

    He said there were “50 adult males, four male children, 13 male infants with two minors with medical case”.

    The NEMA coordinator urged the returnees to be agents of positive change and take up the challenge against irregular migrations by telling whoever wants to embark on such dangerous journeys to desist.

    “Migration is protected by international and national statutes for movement of people through proper regularisation of papers that would protect and save you against risks of irregular migrations.”

    Muhammed stated that NEMA hosted a team from European Union (EU) on monitoring and evaluation of the special EU intervention on assisted voluntary return of migrants.

    NEMA interfaced with them on the ways of improving the present European Assisted Voluntary Returnees projects being run by IOM.

    He said gaps were identified, especially on logistics, which are causing nightmares to stakeholders and the returnees.

    He said the rescheduling of aircraft charter flights would be improved upon.

    The exercise, which began in April, 2017, is expected to end by April, 2020 and about 8,808 returnees have so far been repatriated back to Nigeria from the North African country.

  • NIS nab Libya deportees on human trafficking

    Two Libyan deportees: Omoseyin Solomon Rotimi,43, who hails from Ondo state and Omoniyi Olowoporoku,31, from Edo state, were on Monday arrested by the Katsina State branch of Nigerian Immigration Service while attempting to smuggle two Nigerians namely: Aishat and Agumadu out of the country to Libya.

    The Controller, Katsina State Command of the Nigerian Immigration Service, Mr Joshua Ajisafe told newsmen in Katsina during the parade of the criminals that they were arrested alongside their victims on their way to Niger Republic en route Libya.

    He further disclosed that Solomon Rotimi, who was in possession of Nigerian international Passport and Resident Permit of Libya, has been a regular dweller in Libya until recently when he was forcefully brought back to Nigeria by the Federal Government.

    He also maintained that Olowoporoku from Edo State was in possession of ECOWAS Travelers Certificate, ETC, at the time of his arrest

    He said ’’our investigation revealed that Omoseyin S. Rotimi, intended to smuggle both Aishat and Agumadu out of the country to Libya. In the same development, Omoniyi Olowoporoku intended to smuggle Mrs. Ashabi to Libya’’

    Read Also: Photos: Nigerians deported from Libya

    ‘’it may interest you to note that Rotimi and Aishat who claim to be husband and wife are diehard unrepentant human smugglers’’

    ‘’ The details of the suspected rescued victims of human smuggling include Akinbayo Ashabi, female, 38 and an indigene of Oyo state, Gracious Aghaferkokhian, 23 from Edo State, all in possession of Nigerian Passport’’

    ‘’other victims are Shedrack Agunmadu,38, from Enugu State and Aishat Ayoola Agbajelola,27, from Ondo state who was in possession of Nigerian International Passport and a resident in Libya for more than 5 years consecutively’’

    The Controller assured Nigerians that the Service will continue to effectively man Nigeria’s extensive vast porous borders and tackle all forms of menace of Hunan Trafficking and to control the influx of irregular immigrants.