The Libyan government on Tuesday deported 177 Nigerian migrants, most of them women, as part of a voluntary repatriation program, the country’s Illegal Migration Control Department announced.
Deportation officer Mohamed Bred’a confirmed the development, stating that the migrants were flown out of Tripoli’s Mitiga International Airport.
“Today, from the Deportation Office of the Illegal Migration Control Department, we voluntarily deported 177 female and some child migrants of Nigerian nationality via a flight from Tripoli Mitiga International Airport,” Bred’a said, as reported by Xinhua.
He further disclosed that the group included nine children and eight infants and that more repatriation flights were scheduled for the week.
“The deportation is humanitarian and voluntary, as part of the department’s plan,” he added.
Libya has long been a key transit hub for migrants attempting to cross the Mediterranean Sea into Europe, particularly following the country’s 2011 uprising that led to the ousting of leader Muammar Gaddafi.
Many African migrants, including Nigerians, continue to risk dangerous journeys through Libya, often facing detention, abuse, and human trafficking while waiting for opportunities to travel to Europe.
On Monday, Libyan Interior Minister Emad al-Tarabelsi called on the European Union and affected countries to provide greater support in tackling illegal migration from Libya.
According to him, securing Libya’s southern borders rather than focusing solely on coastal monitoring, as the EU has emphasized is crucial in addressing the migration crisis.
Al-Tarabelsi also urged for development projects in migrants’ home countries to tackle the root causes of migration, reducing the need for people to undertake perilous journeys.