NEMA gets 105 stranded Nigerians from Chad
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has received 105 Nigerians stranded in Chad.
NEMA Coordinator for Kano Territorial Office, Dr. Nuradeen Abdullahi, announced this while receiving the returnees who were brought into the country through Malam Aminu Kano International Airport in Kano.
Abdullahi said the stranded Nigerians arrived at the airport around 10 p.m. onboard Boeing 737-7k9 ASKY Airlines operated by Ethiopian Airlines KP9401 with registration number ET-ANH.
“The returnees were brought back to Kano under the care of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) from N’djamena through a voluntary repatriation programme.
“The programme is meant for distressed Nigerians who left the country to seek greener pastures in various European countries but couldn’t afford to return when their journey became frustrated,” he said.
Abdullahi said the returnees comprised 24 male adults, 23 female adults, and 58 children.
“The returnees are from Katsina, Kano, Adamawa, Maiduguri, Yobe and Taraba, among other states.
“They will be undergoing a four-day vocational skills training and will be provided with capital to enable them set up their businesses and become self-reliant,” he said.
Abdullahi advised the returnees to be advocates of the campaign against irregular migration.
The NEMA Coordinator also advised fellow Nigerians to avoid endangering their lives by seeking greener pastures in other countries, adding that no country is better than Nigeria.
He recalled that the agency, between May and October 2022, received 560 Nigerians stranded in Agadez in Niger Republic, as well as Khartoum in Sudan, and were trained in various skills acquisition.
Recounting her ordeal, a returnee and a mother of two from Borno State, Fanne Abba said she travelled to Chad for three years to seek greener pastures with her two kids.
“There was no peace in my village Gambarun Gana. Boko Haram did not let us stay because everyone was scared. So, I travelled to Chad, thinking things would be better.
“I did dry cleaning service with other home service jobs. Things were no longer easy. I decided to come back home,” she said.
Another returnee from Kano State, Aminu Musa said he travelled to Libya for greener pastures because he was an orphan and his sick mother could not cater for the family.
“My father died three years ago and things were bad for our family.
“During my stay in Libiya for two years, my friend was kidnapped there,” he said.
It was reported that officials of SEMA, the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), Nigeria Red Cross and the Department of State Services (DSS) were at the airport to receive and clear the returnees.
