The Federal Government has repatriated over 4,700 stranded citizens from various countries in the last nine months according to a report on The PUNCH.

According to the International Organisation for Migration and the National Emergency Management Agency, 2,849 Nigerians were repatriated from Sudan, 1,474 from Libya, 441 from Niger Republic, and 13 from Saudi Arabia between February and October 2023.

The majority of the repatriations took place in May, when 2,678 Nigerians were returned from Sudan, Saudi Arabia, and Niger Republic.

The Nigerian government has repatriated stranded citizens from various countries for several years. In 2022, over 6,000 Nigerians were repatriated from Libya and Sudan alone.

The government has urged Nigerians living abroad to register on the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission portal to help the government quickly resolve any emergencies they may face.

 A retired ambassador, Rasheed Akinkuolie opined that insecurity and high unemployment are the main reasons why Nigerians are leaving the country in large numbers.

“The security situation in Nigeria is one of the reasons people are leaving the country, especially young people. There is hardly any state in Nigeria that is safe. People cannot travel by road or train without being kidnapped.

“Unemployment among young people is another major problem irrespective of qualification. Doctors, engineers, university graduates in several disciplines, etc. migrate for better job opportunities abroad,” he said.