The Federal Government has repatriated no fewer than 150 Nigerians said to be stranded in Niamey, Niger Republic.
According to the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Sadiya Farouq, the returnees were stranded in Niamey while they were attempting to go to Europe in search for greener pastures, a phenomenon now known as japa (flee) in Nigeria.
The minister received the returnees at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport in Kano on Monday evening.
She said the exercise was conducted in collaboration with the International Organisation for Migration and Economic Community of West African States.
According to her, the returnees were brought back to Kano, under the care of the IOM and ECOWAS from Niger Republic through a voluntary repatriation programme.
She said the deportees arrived at the international wing of the airport at about 3.45pm on Monday.
Represented by the Director of Humanitarian Services of the Ministry, Alhaji Grema Ali, the minister explained that the programme was meant for the distressed Nigerians, who had left the country to seek greener pastures in various European countries, and could not afford to return when their journey became frustrated.
Recounting their ordeals, one of those repatriated, Amina Aliyu from Kano State, who spoke to journalists, said she traveled to Niger with her three kids and sister Zara’u Aliyu, to seek greener pastures.
“We intended to travel to Algeria but on our way, the driver dropped us in the Niger Republic. We really suffered without food and water. My husband ran away and left me with my kids for the past three years and my parents are old and poor so I had no other option but to travel to seek greener pastures.”
Another returnee, Aminu Suleiman from Yobe State, said he was headed for Europe but got stranded in Libya.
“I was a tailor before I left Yobe. I wanted to travel to Europe from Libya to seek greener pastures because I wanted to open a fashion academy in Nigeria.”
The returnees were received by the National Emergency Management Agency and the State Emergency Management Agency in collaboration with the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and IDPs and Nigeria Red Cross as well as DSS.
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