The International Organization for Migration (IOM), working with the Nigerian government and the European Union, has evacuated 180 stranded Nigerian migrants from Benghazi, Libya, officials said.
The latest group arrived Tuesday night at the Cargo Terminal of Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos under the Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration programme, which is funded by the European Union.
With the latest evacuation, the number of Nigerians returned under the programme has reached about 65,700 since 2017, according to IOM officials.
The returnees included 108 adult women and 45 adult men. There were also 17 children, including seven girls and 10 boys, as well as 12 infants, the agency said. Two of the children were unaccompanied.
IOM Head of Office in Lagos, Ali Ibrahim, said the migrants were rescued from dangerous migration routes and would receive reintegration support upon their return.
“After their return, we support them with assistance to reintegrate into the community to rebuild their lives,” Ibrahim said, adding that support may include livelihood assistance, business training and education support.
He said migration remains a personal choice but urged safer, legal pathways, warning of the risks associated with irregular routes through North Africa.
The agency said more than 7,600 Nigerians were voluntarily evacuated from North Africa between January and June 2026 amid rising concerns over irregular migration and casualties along transit routes.
The IOM said repatriation efforts have been expanded to a weekly schedule across major entry points, including Lagos and Kano, with additional arrivals processed through Abuja’s Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport.
