15,000 Nigerian irregular migrants rescued from Europe since 2001 – IOM

The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) has revealed that it has facilitated the return of 15,000 stranded Nigerians from various countries in Europe from 2001 till date.
Of this figure, 9000 were returned to Nigeria in one year from April 2017 till date under the Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration (AVRR) programme.
Speaking yesterday in Benin, Edo state at a three-day media workshop on “Strengthening the Governance of Migration and Providing Reintegration Assistance to Nigerian Returnees,” Public Information Officer, IOM Nigeria, Jorge Galindo, said the returnees arrived from more than 20 countries across Europe, Middle East and North Africa.
Though the IOM/European Union initiative targets 3,800 irregular migrants for reintegration under a three-year programme, the figure of returnees has tripled.
The figures also showed that more than 50 per cent of the returnees were from Edo state; 17 per cent of the returnees were from Delta while Oyo, Ogun and Imo indigenes completed the top five states.
Galindo solicited the support of the media to discourage irregular migration even as he explained that IOM has devised a programme tagged, “Migrants as Messengers” whereby the returnees were used to sensitise potential migrants on the need to embrace regular migration.
According to him, AVRR supports a variety of migrants who wish to return home, including those who traveled for economic reasons, unaccompanied children and survivors of trafficking.
He added, “IOM interviews them and assists with travel logistics and flights.
Many receive protection support as well.