The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) received another batch of 140 Nigerians stranded from Agadas, Niger Republic on Saturday.
This was confirmed by the NEMA Coordinator, Kano Territorial Office, Dr Nuradeen Abdullahi, while receiving the returnees in Kano.
He said the returnees included 100 male adults, 30 female adults and 10 children (six female and four male).
Abdullahi said the returnees were brought back to Kano at about 9.38 p.m in three luxury buses under the care of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) from Agadas.
Abdullahi noted that the returnees were brought back through a voluntary repatriation programme for the distressed who had left the country to seek greener pastures in various European countries and could not afford to return when their journey became frustrated.
“The returnees are from different parts of the country, some from Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, Jos, Lagos and Cross River, among other states.”
The coordinator further explained that the returnees were given clothes, food, toiletries, blankets, mosquito nets, pampers and sanitary pad each. They would also be trained for four days to be self-reliant and be given a grant to start off businesses.
“Nigerians should avoid endangering their lives by travelling to seek for greener pastures in other countries as no country is better than Nigeria,” Abdullahi said.
The agency had between May and June received a total of 227 stranded Nigerians from Agadas.
Ifunanya Ikueze is an Engineer, Safety Professional, Writer, Investor, Entrepreneur and Educator.