Libyan authorities have deported 80 Nigerian migrants this week as part of a renewed crackdown on irregular migration. The coordinated repatriation exercise was conducted through Mitiga International Airport in Tripoli.
Coordinated Repatriation Effort
The operation was carried out by Libya's Department for Combating Illegal Migration (DCIM) with direct support from the Nigerian Consulate in Tripoli. Officials stated that this action is a component of wider initiatives to regulate the flow of undocumented migrants and alleviate severe overcrowding in Libyan detention facilities.
Judicial Orders Precede Deportation
According to the monitoring group Migrant Rescue Watch, the deportation was executed following judicial directives from the Libyan Judicial Police, acting on the orders of the Public Prosecutor's Office. In a statement on the social media platform X, the organisation revealed that a group of undocumented Nigerian migrant women were first transferred to DCIM custody in Tripoli after being served with judicial deportation orders.
The group further confirmed that the latest batch of 80 returnees, repatriated on Wednesday, included migrants who had been previously transferred under these judicial orders.
Addressing Overcrowding and Human Rights
This development highlights the ongoing efforts by Libyan authorities, often in partnership with foreign diplomatic missions, to manage the significant population of undocumented migrants within its borders. A key stated objective of these repatriation drives is to address pressing concerns over the overcrowding and human rights conditions prevalent in many migrant detention centres across Libya.
