The Federal Government has launched new efforts to secure the release and return of Nigerians currently detained in prisons and migrant camps across Libya.
The move follows renewed outrage over reports of widespread abuse and poor treatment of Nigerian nationals trapped in the North African country.
Confirming the development on Friday, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, said talks were ongoing with Libyan authorities and other partners to facilitate the repatriation process.
“We are actively engaging relevant stakeholders to ensure the safe return of Nigerians detained in deportation centres and prisons in Libya,” he said.
Ebienfa also advised citizens to be cautious about job offers or travel opportunities that could expose them to human trafficking and illegal migration. “People should always verify the authenticity of foreign job offers and travel agents before embarking on trips abroad,” he warned.
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) also confirmed its involvement in the ongoing evacuation efforts. The agency’s spokesperson, Manzo Ezekiel, explained that while repatriation missions had continued, the long-term solution lies in preventing unsafe migration through public awareness.
“We cannot continue to evacuate people indefinitely. Many Nigerians take these dangerous routes out of ignorance or misinformation,” he said, adding that hundreds of Nigerians had already been brought back from Libya this year in collaboration with other agencies.
The development comes after a heated debate in the Senate earlier in the week, where lawmakers condemned the plight of Nigerian women and children reportedly languishing in Libyan detention centres.
Senator Aniekan Bassey (Cross River South), who sponsored the motion, described Libya as a “corridor of death” for migrants seeking to cross into Europe. He cited reports of trafficking, slavery, and human rights violations, including rape and torture.
Fellow lawmakers, including Senators Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan and Asuquo Ekpenyong, urged the government to act swiftly, calling for diplomatic pressure on Libya to release and repatriate detained Nigerians.
Akpoti-Uduaghan also proposed that the Nigerian Immigration Service and Correctional Service collaborate with Libyan officials to facilitate the safe return of women and children born in detention.
The Senate unanimously adopted the motion and called on the Federal Government to create a reintegration programme for returnees, which would include counselling, vocational training, and startup support to help them rebuild their lives.
Human rights groups such as Amnesty International and the International Organisation for Migration have repeatedly raised alarms over the conditions in Libyan detention centres, documenting cases of abuse, forced labour, and killings.
The government has promised to intensify diplomatic engagement through the African Union, ECOWAS, and the United Nations to ensure the protection and safe return of Nigerians stranded in Libya.
