Libya on Tuesday repatriated nearly 1,000 migrants who had been residing in the country illegally. This included 300 Nigerians who were taken to the airport to be flown back to their home country.
General Mohamad Bardaa, who heads Libya’s anti-immigration body affiliated with the interior ministry, confirmed the deportation. This comes as part of Libya’s ongoing efforts to manage the issue of illegal migration, which has escalated since the ouster and killing of long-time dictator Moamer Kadhafi in 2011.
Libya, now governed by rival administrations in the west and east, has become a hub for illegal migration to Europe. Migrants often undertake perilous sea crossings and fall into the hands of trafficking gangs that extort them for money.
The repatriation of Nigerians is a significant step in addressing the migration issue. It follows similar operations last month, when 600 Egyptians were sent home on November 6 and 250 were repatriated to Niger and Chad on November 28.
According to figures from the International Organization for Migration, there were more than 700,000 migrants, mostly from Niger and Egypt, in Libya between May and June this year. The recent deportations indicate a proactive approach by the Libyan government to manage the situation.
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The plight of the migrants, their journey back home, and the conditions that led to their stay in Libya highlight the complex and pressing issue of illegal migration. As Libya continues to navigate its post-Kadhafi era, the handling of migration issues will remain a key challenge.