- Title: Libyan authorities deport 135 illegal migrants to Nigeria
- Date: 17th August 2017
- Summary: TRIPOLI, LIBYA (AUGUST 17, 2017) (REUTERS) ILLEGAL MIGRANTS SEEN OUTSIDE DETENTION CENTER BEING HANDED TRAVEL DOCUMENTS INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR MIGRATION (IOM) OFFICER HANDING OUT TRAVEL DOCUMENTS TO ILLEGAL MIGRANTS VARIOUS OF TRAVEL DOCUMENTS BEING HANDED TO ILLEGAL MIGRANTS VARIOUS OF IOM OFFICER CHECKING LIST OF NAMES WITH MIGRANTS BEFORE BOARDING BUS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) HEAD OF MEDIA DEPARTMENT FOR LIBYA'S ANTI-ILLEGAL MIGRATION DIVISION, HOSNI ABU-AYAN, SAYING: "Today we have the voluntary return of 135 illegal Nigerian migrants who had been rescued from sea by the coast guard. They were sent to us, and we will take them to Mitiga International Airport for their voluntary return, in cooperation with the IOM (International Organization for Migration), who have prepared a plane that'll take them to their country." MIGRANTS BOARDING BUS MIGRANT HOLDING TRAVEL DOCUMENT AND SMILING VARIOUS OF MIGRANTS ON BUS VARIOUS OF MIGRANT GIRL ON BUS BUS WITH MIGRANTS ON BOARD SIGN ON BUS READING IN (Arabic): 'Anti-Illegal Immigration Division' VARIOUS OF MIGRANTS SEEN FROM OUTSIDE OF BUS (SOUNDBITE) (English) ILLEGAL NIGERIAN MIGRANT, MARY, SAYING: "My name is Mary, I'm from Nigeria, they're deporting me today to my country, Nigeria, I'm very happy, I'm very excited to go to my father's land, because when I get to Nigeria, there's freedom, there's liberty, there's freedom of speech. Anything I want to do, I'm free to do it, nobody will arrest me, nobody will ask me illegal questions, because Nigeria is the land of freedom. Nigeria is good, I love my country Nigeria and I am so proud to be a Nigerian, thank you." BUS WITH ILLEGAL MIGRANTS ON BOARD
- Embargoed: 31st August 2017 14:13
- Keywords: Libyan authorities deporting illegal refugees International Organization for Migration deportation from Tripoli
- Location: TRIPOLI, LIBYA
- City: TRIPOLI, LIBYA
- Country: Libya
- Topics: Asylum/Immigration/Refugees,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA0016UJPF7R
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Libyan authorities deported 135 illegal Nigerian migrants on Thursday (August 17) as part of a "voluntary return" programme sponsored by the Libyan government and the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
The programme puts illegal migrants who end up in Libya without money or work on a one-way flight back to their home countries.
The migrants who are mainly from Africa, arrive in Libya as they attempt the voyage across the treacherous waters of the Mediterranean sea to European shores. The Libya-Italy route is now the one most heavily used by people trying to reach Europe.
The IOM flew 2,775 migrants back last year, and is expecting to increase that number to between 7,000 and 10,000 in 2017, with new European funding.
Gangs in Libya have built a lucrative trade out of packing migrants into rickety boats heading for Italy, where more than 65,000 have arrived so far this year. As of June 14, 1,828 were believed to have died in the attempt, according to IOM figures. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2017. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
