A total of 497 Nigerian migrants who were stranded in Niger Republic have been successfully evacuated and brought back to Nigeria through the Jibia border. The returnees were received by the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI) at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport at approximately 12:25 PM on Friday, May 22.
The migrants, who arrived from Agadez in Niger Republic, were greeted by officials from the commission's Kano Field Office along with representatives from other relevant government agencies.
Speaking during the reception, the Federal Commissioner of NCFRMI, Dr. Tijjani Aliyu Ahmed, stated that the evacuation was part of a coordinated humanitarian effort by the Federal Government in partnership with the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Dr. Ahmed, who was represented by the Kano Field Coordinator, Lubah Liman, explained that the returnees were evacuated under the Voluntary Humanitarian Return programme of the IOM.
He further noted that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through its Consular and Migration Affairs Division, had earlier informed the commission about the planned evacuation of stranded Nigerian migrants from Agadez, scheduled to take place between May 22 and May 25, 2026.
According to the commissioner, the evacuation exercise is being carried out in two batches in collaboration with the IOM and other relevant government agencies. He said, “The first batch, initially projected to comprise about 600 returnees, arrived with a total of 497 persons.”
The reception exercise was coordinated by the commission in collaboration with several agencies, including the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Nigeria Immigration Service, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Department of State Services (DSS), SEMA, and the Nigerian Red Cross Society.
He explained that the returnees underwent documentation processes, including MIDAS registration by the Nigeria Immigration Service, before being transported to the Immigration Training School in Kano for feeding, profiling, and other humanitarian support services.
A breakdown of the returnees revealed that there were 174 adult males, 97 adult females, 137 boys, and 89 girls.
