The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has, Tuesday, received about 109 stranded Nigerians at the Murtala Muhhammed Airport Ikeja Lagos repatriated from Mali who were being trafficked to Dubai through porous borders.
The returnees, who arrived the International Wing of Murtala Muhammed International Airport Ikeja today around 3:15a.m, included 11 adult men, 89 adult young men, four male children and five female children.
The returnees were assisted back into the country by the International Organisation of Migration (IOM).
According to NEMA, the returnees will, however, be isolated for 14 days in Ikeja before they would be free.
Addressing the returnees on arrival, the Director General of NEMA, AVM Muhammad A Muhammadu (rtd) enjoined them to always avoid those that promise greener pastures outside the country as there’s nothing like that any longer anywhere.
He admonished them to always be wary of close family friends and relatives that lures and exposes them into unnecessary hazards that are life threatening.
The DG further appealed to them to make better use of their lives as they successfully return to the country.
Muhammadu, however, assured them of government’s readiness to provide equal opportunities to every one
He encouraged them that the Federal Government has several social development programmes and other incentives meant for empowering the youths in the country.
Speaking on arrival, 21 years old Irhobosa Lawrence Orhumnzie, said she left Nigeria about six months ago with the hope of going to Dubai.
Her words, “My Madam (Trafficker) took about 25 of us and told us that she will take us to Dubai.”
“We took off from Lagos and crossed over to Cotonou in Togo and from their we went straight to Mali,” she recounted.
But when they arrived Bamako, Mali, the Malian Police arrested them all including their madam. “They asked us if we are interested to go back to Nigeria, all of us volunteered to return to our country”.
“We don’t know what is happening with our Madam. They asked us if we are interested in dealing with our madam, we just told them that they should do whatever they want to do with her but we just wish to go back to Nigeria.”
Narrating further, she adds, “From there, we were taken to Nigerian Embassy but the Corona virus pandemic did not allow the embassy to bring us until IOM came to our rescue but we have been staying in the embassy all along.”
Upon arrival, Irhobosa expressed gratitude to the government. “I am happy to be in Nigeria. I thank President Muhammadu Buhari for the good ways the embassy have been treating us. The embassy people are very good and caring”.
