At the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport in Kano, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has taken in 105 Nigerians who have been stuck in Chad.
While welcoming the returnees in Kano, Dr. Nuradeen Abdullahi, NEMA Coordinator Kano Territorial Office, made this information clear.
He claimed that a Boeing 737-7k9 ASKY Airlines, which was being flown by Ethiopian Airlines KP9401 and had the registration number ET-ANH, brought the stranded Nigerians to the International Wing of the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport at around 10 p.m.
“The returnees were brought back to Kano under the care of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) from N’djamena through a voluntary repatriation programme.
“The programme is meant for distressed Nigerians who left the country to seek greener pastures in various European countries but can’t afford to return when their journey became frustrated” he said.
Abdullahi said that the returnees were made up of 24 male adults, 23 female adults and 58 children.
“The returnees are from Katsina, Kano, Adamawa, Maiduguri,Yobe and Taraba among other others.
“They will be undergoing a four-day vocational skills training and will be provided with capital to enable them set up their businesses and become self-reliant,” he said.
He counselled the repatriates to support the fight against unauthorised immigration.
The Coordinator emphasised that no country is better than Nigeria and urged Nigerians not to risk their lives by leaving the country in search of safer havens elsewhere.
Abdullahi mentioned that between May and October 2022, the organisation took in 560 Nigerians who had become trapped in Agadas, Niger Republic, and Khartoum, Sudan, and trained them in a variety of skill-building activities.
Returnee Fanne Abba, a mother of two from Borno, described her ordeal in detail. She said that she spent three years travelling to Chad with her two children in search of greener pastures.
“There was no peace in my village Gambarun Gana, Boko Haram did not let us stay because everyone was scared so I travelled to Chad thinking things would be better.
“I did dry cleaning service with other home service jobs, things were no longer easy. I decided to come back home,” she said.
The returnees were received and cleared by representatives of SEMA, the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants, and IDPs, DSS, Nigeria Red Cross, and DSS at the airport.
