NO fewer than 109 Nigerians stranded in Mali have been repatriated.
The returnees arrived at the International Wing of Murtala Muhammed International Airport Ikeja Tuesday at about 0315 hour.
The returnees include 11 adult men, 89 adult young women with 4 male children and 5 female children.
SlyNews learnt that they were assisted back into the country by the International Organization of Migration (IOM).
Already, the National Emergency Management Authority (NEMA) confirmed to have recieved the returnees.
Addressing them on arrival, the Director General of NEMA, Muhammad Muhammadu enjoined the returnees to always avoid those that promises greener pastures outside the country as there’s nothing like that any longer anywhere.
He admonished them to always be wary of close family friends and relatives that lures and exposes them into unnecessary hazards that are life threatening.
He appealed to them to make better use of their lives as they successfully return to their home country.
He assured them of government’s readiness to provide equal opportunities to every one.
He said they should take advantage of Federal Government’s social development programmes and other eight incentives meant for empowering the youths in the country.
Speaking on arrival, Miss Irhobosa Lawrence Orhumnzie (aged 21), said she left Nigeria about six months ago with the hope of going to Dubai.
“My madam (trafficker) took about 25 of us and told us that she will take us to Dubai.
“We took off from Lagos and crossed over to Cotonou in Togo and from their we went straight to Mali.
“But as we entered Bamako, Mali, the Malian Police arrested our madam and all of us, they asked us if we are interested to go back to Nigeria, all of us volunteered to return to our country.
“We don’t know what is happening with our madam.
“They asked us if we are interested in dealing with our madam, we just told them that they should do whatever they wants to do with her but we just wish to go back to Nigeria.
“From there, we were taken to Nigerian Embassy but the Coronavirus pandemic did not allow the embassy to bring us until IOM came to our rescue but we have been staying in the embassy all along.
“I am happy to be in Nigeria. I thank President Muhammadu Buhari for the good ways the embassy have been treating us. The embassy people are very good and caring,” she said.
