The Federal Government of Nigeria has issued a renewed warning to citizens against embarking on illegal migration to Libya, calling the North African country a death trap and not a viable route to Europe.
Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), raised the alarm during a media briefing, revealing that despite continuous awareness campaigns and multiple evacuation efforts, thousands of Nigerians are still falling victim to human traffickers and ending up in inhumane detention camps in Libya.
“Libya is not an escape route; it is a trap,” she warned.
“This year alone, over 5,000 Nigerians have been brought back.”
She disclosed that human traffickers are extorting desperate Nigerians, charging as much as ₦1.5 million for illegal passage through dangerous desert routes into the war-torn country.
Dabiri-Erewa noted that many returnees sold all they had in pursuit of a better life, only to end up in worse conditions. She emphasized that Libya’s lawlessness, with rebel factions controlling territories, makes rescue operations extremely risky.
The Nigerian government, in collaboration with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and under the coordination of the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), is conducting discreet evacuations due to the volatile security situation.
Dabiri-Erewa further urged for the arrest and prosecution of traffickers, stressing that “they must be named and shamed.”
