Kano: The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has successfully received 708 stranded Nigerians from Niamey, Niger Republic. The Head of Operations at the NEMA Kano Office, Dr. Nura Abdullahi, announced this during a press briefing at the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport in Kano, where the returnees were profiled.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the returnees arrived in 12 luxurious buses at approximately 4:08 p.m. and were physically verified. They included 292 male adults and children, as well as 416 female adults and children, hailing from various parts of Nigeria such as Katsina, Kano, Jigawa, Benue, Borno, Yobe, Zamfara, Kaduna, Kogi, and Niger State.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs facilitated the return of these individuals. Dr. Abdullahi stated that the returnees were provided with food and temporary shelter arrangements. They also received blankets, mosquito nets, and dignity kits containing essential toiletries, wrappers, and sanitary pads. He added that after necessary profiling, plans were in place to transport the returnees to their respective states by the next morning.
Medical personnel from the Nigeria Red Cross were available to provide treatment for those who were sick, with severe cases being referred to state health facilities. Dr. Abdullahi advised the public and Nigerian youths to avoid risking their lives by seeking better opportunities in other countries.
Hajiya Luba Liman, the Kano Field Coordinator of the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants, and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), highlighted the collaboration between the Federal Government, the Nigerian Embassy in Niamey, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in facilitating the evacuation. She emphasized that the return was voluntary, as many could not afford to return on their own.
One of the returnees, Malam Kamalu Abdullahi from Kaduna State, shared his experience of living in Niamey for 12 years before being forced to flee due to violence. He expressed gratitude to the Federal Government for facilitating their return and vowed not to return to Niger.
Rabi’a Inusa from Jigawa recounted her hardships in Niamey, where she sought better opportunities but faced significant challenges. After spending five months in difficult conditions, she was directed to a camp for voluntary returnees.
NAN reports noted that many returnees, particularly women and children, appeared distressed upon arrival. Representatives from NEMA, the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and IDPs, Kano SEMA Executive Secretary Alhaji Isyaku Abdullahi-Kubarachi, and the Nigeria Immigration Service were present to welcome the returnees.