Libyan authorities announced the repatriation of 174 irregular migrants to Nigeria on Tuesday.
The group included 39 women and six children. This operation marks the beginning of a series of planned repatriations in the coming weeks.
Mohammed Baredaa, head of the Libyan interior ministry department tasked with halting irregular migration, confirmed the operation.
These repatriations, conducted by plane or road depending on the migrants’ nationalities, aim to address the ongoing challenge of irregular migration in Libya.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) facilitates the voluntary return of migrants stranded in Libya through its Voluntary Humanitarian Return (VHR) program.
This program assists migrants who wish to return home due to the dangers and difficulties they face in Libya.
Libya’s descent into instability following the 2011 uprising has created opportunities for smugglers and human traffickers.
The country’s proximity to Italy, a mere 300 kilometers (186 miles) away, makes it a popular departure point for sub-Saharan Africans seeking to reach Europe by sea.
Zakaria Abubaker Shueib, a 20-year-old Nigerian migrant, expressed his reasons for attempting the journey.
“I have been in Libya for three years, hoping to work and earn enough money to move to Europe,” he told AFP before his repatriation.
The perilous journey across the Mediterranean Sea is fraught with danger. A recent IOM report revealed a rise in migrant deaths and disappearances along the Middle East and North Africa routes.
In 2023, the death toll reached 4,984, a significant increase from 3,820 in 2022. The report also highlighted Libya as a major transit point, with 683 deaths recorded from migrants departing western Libya.
