Demand release of Nigerian detainees in Libya, MEPN tasks FG

A group, Migration Enlightenment Project Nigeria (MEPN) has called on the Federal Government to demand from the Tripoli a list of Nigerians migrant being detained in its facilities and release them immediately.

The Director of MEPN, Mr Femi Awoniyi made the call in a release made available to the Nigerian Tribune, on Tuesday.

While commending the Federal Government for its efforts at ensuring that Nigerians migrant returned, Awonoyi also praised the European Union (EU) and the IOM for their humanitarian repatriation programme.

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He said that Nigerian migrant returnees, particularly those who returned on October 12 arrived Lagos under the EU-IOM joint Initiative on Migrant Protection and Reintegration.

The group urged the Federal Government, the EU and the IOM not to relent on their efforts until all Nigerian migrants stranded in Libya and other transit countries are safely returned home.

The MEPN also noted that thousands of Nigerians are still stranded in Libya and other transit countries.

“The case of recent Nigerian returnees who were held captive inside a government-run detention centre in Zawiya town indicates that many Nigerians could still be in forcible custody in Libya.

“A video recording made by one of the migrants and sent to the international media in July 2018 led to IOM efforts that freed the Nigerians, who have since returned home.

“The MEPN is currently carrying out a campaign to sensitising the people about the risks and dangers of irregular migration in Nigeria,” Awoniyi said.

The MEPN, however, warned young Nigerians to seek legal ways of migrating as thousands have lost their lives in the past five years in the process of irregular migration.