The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has received 37 Nigerian nationals repatriated from the Republic of Türkiye through the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.
In a statement issued on Monday, the agency said the returnees arrived aboard a chartered flight after the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs notified it as part of ongoing efforts to facilitate the safe and orderly return of Nigerians abroad.
NEMA said its Abuja Operations Office immediately activated a coordinated reception involving relevant government agencies and humanitarian partners to ensure the returnees were received in a dignified and humane manner.
According to the agency, the exercise included documentation, profiling, medical screening and the provision of immediate humanitarian support before the returnees were handed over to the appropriate authorities for reintegration.
Speaking during the reception, the Head of NEMA Abuja Operations Office, Pharm. Zakari Abubakar, reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to supporting vulnerable Nigerians.
“At NEMA, our priority is to ensure that every returning Nigerian is treated with dignity, compassion and respect. We encourage our compatriots to embrace this opportunity for a fresh start, remain law-abiding, and take advantage of available government support programmes aimed at facilitating their successful reintegration into society,” he said.
Abubakar also praised the cooperation among participating agencies, noting that effective collaboration remains essential to ensuring smooth reception and reintegration for returning migrants.
The agency said the operation involved officials of the Nigerian Immigration Service, the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, airport authorities, security agencies and other relevant stakeholders.
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NEMA noted that the latest repatriation forms part of the Federal Government’s sustained efforts to coordinate the safe return and reintegration of distressed Nigerians from different countries.
The agency recalled that in June it received 123 Nigerians repatriated from Algeria under the Assisted Voluntary Return programme coordinated by the International Organisation for Migration in partnership with the Federal Government.
Those returnees underwent biometric registration and documentation before receiving food, water, medical care and logistics support to aid their reintegration.
Similarly, in April, NEMA received 181 Nigerian returnees from Tripoli, Libya, under the same Assisted Voluntary Return programme, describing the initiative as part of the government’s commitment to ensuring the safe, orderly and dignified return of stranded Nigerians while supporting their reintegration into society.