Authorities in Libya deported 174 irregular migrants to Nigeria on Tuesday, consisting mostly of men, along with dozens of women and six children.
Mohammed Baredaa, leading the Libyan interior ministry’s efforts against irregular migration, stated that the repatriation involved Nigerians, including 39 women and six children.
The operations, conducted by air or road depending on nationality, will continue in the coming weeks.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) assists vulnerable migrants stranded in Libya or desiring to return home through its voluntary humanitarian return program.
Exploiting Libya’s instability since the 2011 NATO-backed uprising that ousted former leader Moamer Kadhafi, human traffickers use the country as a transit point. Libya, close to Italy, serves as a significant departure point in North Africa for migrants attempting perilous sea journeys to Europe.
Zakaria Abubaker Shueib, a 20-year-old Nigerian migrant slated for repatriation, shared his three-year experience in Libya, hoping to work, earn money, and eventually reach Europe.
According to IOM, migrant deaths or disappearances on routes through the Middle East and North Africa rose to 4,984 in 2023 from 3,820 in 2022. Tunisia recorded the highest number of incidents, followed by Libya, with 683 recorded deaths primarily from western Libya, as per a mid-June report.
