Federal Government in collaboration with International Organisation for Migration (IOM), and Economic Community of West Africa (ECOWAS), has repatriated 150 stranded Nigerians from (Niamey) Niger Republic.
The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouq made the disclosure, while receiving the returnees at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport.
Hajiya Sadiya, who was represented by the director of Humanitarian, Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Alhaji Grema Ali, said the returnees were brought back to Kano, under the care of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), and ECOWAS from Niger Republic (Niamey), through a voluntary repatriation programme.
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.
She highlighted that, the repatriates comprised 125 males,14 females and 11 children from Yobe, Kaduna, Bauchi, Sokoto, Katsina and Kano state, among others.
The Minister further stressed that, the returnees would undergo a three-day training, on how to achieve self sustainability, and provided with start up capital, to enable them engage in productive activities to be self reliant.
She advised the public to avoid endangering their lives, by travelling to seek for greener pastures in other countries, adding that no country was better than Nigeria.
Sadiya Umar-Farouq enjoined them to learn from their experiences ,be law abiding, and avoid illegal migration.
Recounting their ordeals, some of those repatriated who spoke to Radio Nigeria Amina Aliyu, from Kano State, said she travelled to Niger with her three kids and sister Zara’u Aliyu, to seek for greener pastures.
“We intended to travel to Algeria but on our way, the driver dropped us in 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 option than to travel to seek for greener pasture”
Another returnee Aminu Suleiman, from Yobe State, said he traveled to Libiya to seek for greener pasture.
“I was a tailor before I left Yobe, I wanted to travel to Europe from Libya to seek for greener pasture because I wanted to open a fashion academy in Nigeria”
Radio Nigeria reports that, the returnees were received by NEMA,SEMA in collaboration with other sister security agencies,National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and IDPs and Nigeria Red Cross and DSS.
KHADIJAH ALIYU, KANO
