The Nigerian Mission in Libya facilitated the liberation of forty Nigerian irregular migrants from the Bir Al-Ghanam detention facility in Libya.

A group of illegal migrants, consisting of 34 females and six males, who had been held in detention at the Bir Al-Ghanam detention facility located approximately 150 miles from the capital city of Tripoli, have been released after a period of two months. Ambassador Kabiru Musa, the Charge D’Affaires En Titre of the Nigerian Mission in Libya, revealed in a statement made available to reporters in Abuja on Wednesday that these individuals were enticed by their potential traffickers with promises of better opportunities in Libya, only to find themselves subjected to exploitation and forced labor.

According to Mr. Musa, the Nigerian Mission will continue to provide support and assistance to the released Nigerian citizens until they are safely repatriated.

He further stated that he advised them strongly against undertaking such hazardous journeys in the future and urged them to return home. Additionally, he emphasized the importance of warning their fellow countrymen in Nigeria about the perils associated with irregular migration.

The envoy also encouraged the victims to willingly share information about their traffickers and agents both in Nigeria and Libya, with the aim of enabling their arrest and subsequent punishment for their inhumane crimes.

Mr. Musa stated that during this period, the Nigerian Mission will persist in meeting the needs of the released individuals, which include provisions for food, accommodation, clothing, and medical assistance, until their repatriation can be arranged through the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

Recognizing Libya as a transit route for human trafficking, the Nigerian government has actively engaged with both the IOM and Libyan authorities to combat the issue of irregular migration.

Furthermore, the federal government has made a commitment to ensure that none of its citizens remain stranded in Libya. In collaboration with the IOM, several evacuation operations have been conducted to repatriate Nigerians who were left in distress in the country.