Nigerian embassy official in Tripoli says they are happy to be returning to their home country. Libya has returned 161 Nigerians to their country as part of a United Nations-backed voluntary repatriation scheme amid a spike in irregular migration in North Africa. Libyan and Nigerian representatives met the people before their departure, which is one of about a dozen transports taking place this year. Libyan authorities have come under sharp criticism from the United Nations and rights groups over reported violence against refugees. An estimated 600,000 refugees and migrants live in Libya, which has seen 12 years of stop-start conflict since the 2011 NATO-backed revolt that toppled strongman Muammar Gaddafi.

Source: The North Africa Journal August 22, 2023 11:32 UTC