Libyan officials have deported eighty Nigerian migrants who had been held in various detention facilities throughout the country. Authorities stated this action is part of current efforts to restrict irregular migration and reduce the high number of people in the holding centers. The repatriation was carried out through Mitiga International Airport on Wednesday, a joint effort by the Department for Combating Illegal Migration (DCIM) and the Nigerian Consulate in Tripoli. According to Migrant Rescue Watch, an organization monitoring migrant welfare and human rights in Libya, the deportation was executed following judicial orders issued by the Libyan Judicial Police. The group confirmed that “The affected Nigerians were previously detained in multiple facilities across the country and later transferred to Tripoli under strict security for their scheduled return flight.” Migrant Rescue Watch also noted that Nigerian consular officials collaborated on the operation to ensure the returnees received proper documentation and necessary consular help before leaving. These eighty deported Nigerians are among hundreds of African migrants currently detained in Libya after attempting to use irregular routes across the Mediterranean Sea to reach Europe. Libya remains a significant transit country for migrants fleeing poverty, conflict, and instability in sub-Saharan Africa, seeking improved prospects in Europe. Human rights organizations have consistently expressed alarm over the harsh detention conditions, overcrowding, and mistreatment of migrants in Libya’s centers, urging both African and European governments to establish safer migration pathways and address the fundamental causes of irregular migration.
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