The returnees arrived at about 4:00 p.m. on Monday, August 10, 2026, aboard an Air Buraq Airlines flight.
By Mmesoma Onwuka
365Daily – The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Lagos Operations Office, has received 178 Nigerian nationals who returned from Tripoli, Libya, under the Assisted Voluntary Return (AVR) Programme.
The return exercise was carried out in collaboration with the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) coordinating the programme alongside the Federal Government of Nigeria.
The returnees arrived at about 4:00 p.m. on Monday, August 10, 2026, aboard an Air Buraq Airlines flight, registration number 5A-BAE, which landed at the Cargo Terminal of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos State.
The group comprised 165 adults, including 127 males and 38 females, 10 children, made up of five males and five females and three infants, comprising one male and two females.
Upon arrival, officials of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) conducted biometric registration and documentation to facilitate proper identification, record keeping and subsequent reintegration support.
NEMA and its partner agencies also provided immediate humanitarian assistance, including food and potable water, medical screening, ambulance services for those requiring medical attention, luggage handling and other logistical support.
The returnees also received counselling and reintegration assistance to support their safe and successful transition back into their communities.
NEMA said the exercise demonstrates the continued collaboration among NEMA, NCFRMI, IOM, NIS and other relevant stakeholders to provide coordinated humanitarian assistance to Nigerians returning from abroad.
The agency reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the Federal Government’s efforts to ensure that returning Nigerians are received with dignity, provided with immediate assistance and connected to appropriate reintegration support.