The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has received 37 Nigerian nationals who returned from the Republic of Türkiye through the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
In a statement issued on Monday, the agency said the returnees arrived aboard a chartered aircraft following an official notification from the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs as part of ongoing efforts to facilitate the safe and orderly return of Nigerians abroad.
According to NEMA, its Abuja Operations Office activated a coordinated reception process involving government agencies and humanitarian partners to ensure the returnees were received in a dignified and humane manner.
The agency explained that the exercise included documentation, profiling, medical screening and the provision of immediate humanitarian assistance before the returnees were referred to the appropriate authorities for reintegration.
Speaking during the reception, the Head of NEMA’s Abuja Operations Office, Pharm. Zakari Abubakar, reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to protecting the welfare of returning Nigerians.
“At NEMA, our priority is to ensure that every returning Nigerian is treated with dignity, compassion and respect. We encourage our compatriots to embrace this opportunity for a fresh start, remain law-abiding, and take advantage of available government support programmes aimed at facilitating their successful reintegration into society,” he said.
Abubakar also praised the collaboration among the various agencies involved in the exercise, noting that inter-agency cooperation remains essential for effective reception and reintegration of returning migrants.
NEMA said the operation involved the Nigerian Immigration Service, the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, airport authorities, security agencies and other relevant stakeholders.
The latest repatriation is part of the Federal Government’s ongoing efforts to assist distressed Nigerians abroad.
In June, NEMA received 123 Nigerians who voluntarily returned from Algeria under the Assisted Voluntary Return programme facilitated by the International Organisation for Migration. Earlier in April, the agency also received 181 Nigerian returnees from Tripoli, Libya, under the same initiative aimed at ensuring their safe return and reintegration into society.
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