The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) announced that it has received 104 stranded Nigerians from N’Djamena, Chad, at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport in Kano. Dr. Nuradeen Abdullahi, Coordinator of NEMA’s Kano Territorial Office, made the statement while receiving the returnees on Tuesday. Represented by Suleiman Sa’ad‑Abubakar, Head of Human Resources, NEMA Kano, Dr. Abdullahi said the group arrived at about 2:15 p.m. and was flown to Nigeria by SKY MALI Airlines, operating an Ethiopian Airlines B737‑500 (registration UR‑CQX).
The returnees consist of 34 males, 18 females and 52 children originating from Kano, Katsina, Borno, Akwa Ibom and Yobe. They were repatriated under the care of the International Organisation for Migration through a voluntary repatriation programme. The programme targets distressed individuals who left Nigeria seeking better opportunities in Europe but were unable to return when their journeys stalled.
The government plans to enroll the returnees in skill‑acquisition programmes to teach trades, promote self‑reliance and accelerate their reintegration into society. Dr. Abdullahi also urged the returnees to be law‑abiding and advised all Nigerians to avoid illegal migration, warning against risking their lives in pursuit of greener pastures abroad.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that NEMA previously received 444 stranded Nigerians from Niamey, Niger, between February and April 2023.
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