Edo Receives 1,872 Libya Returnees In Less Than Two Months
Jethro Ibileke/Benin
No fewer than 1,872 illegal immigrants who are indigenes of Edo State were deported from Libya in less than two months.
With this figures, Edo tops the chat as the State with the highest number of illegal immigrants deported from the North African country.
The deportees who are popularly known as Libya returnees, were among thousands of other Nigerians airlifted from Libya by the Federal Government, in collaboration with the International Organisation for Migration.
Following reports that citizens of other countries living in Libya were subjected to torture and other inhuman treatments, with hundreds ithers reportedly sold as slaves, the Edo State Government commenced the airlifting of its citizens back home on 7 November, 2017.
The State Government had set up a task force on anti-human trafficking, headed by the State’s Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Prof. Yinka Omorogbe, to help the victims reintegrate themselves back to society.
It also organised skills acquisition programmes for the returnees and placed them on a stipend for three months.
The Secretary of the task force, Mrs. Oyemwense Abieyuwa, told journalists in Benin that a new batch of 49 retunees, comprising 37 males, 11 females and a baby, was received last Friday.
“We have about 1,800 returnees. It has been going on smoothly to the glory of God. We have been improving our operation.
“Medically, they (returnees) are being attended to. In terms of logistics, we are trying to keep up to ensure that they are properly rehabilitated,” Abieyuwa disclosed.
She said that the task force had enlarged its scope of medical care and counselling, adding that the first batch of returnees had received their stipend.
“Other batches will receive theirs as and when due. The members of the task force are working day and night so as to get the bank details as accurately as possible,” she added.
Abieyuwa further stated that the task force had taken steps to ward off impersonators, who may want to capitalise on the opportunities created for the returnees.
In her words “We have had some experiences but we have also been very vigilant and we have our staff on ground to ensure that persons do not come here to impersonate.
“What we do is to be very vigilant. Only those we brought back from Lagos will be taken care of.”
