Libya Repatriates 80 Nigerians Over Irregular Stay
Libyan authorities have repatriated 80 Nigerian nationals detained for residing illegally in the North African country, as part of ongoing efforts to control irregular migration and ease congestion in detention centres.
The operation, coordinated by the Department for Combating Illegal Migration (DCIM) in collaboration with the Nigerian Consulate in Tripoli, was carried out on Wednesday through Mitiga International Airport.
According to *Migrant Rescue Watch*, a humanitarian group monitoring migrant welfare in Libya, the repatriation followed judicial directives issued by the Libyan Judicial Police.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the organisation stated:
“Judicial Police Department, on the orders of the Public Prosecutor’s Office, transferred a group of undocumented migrant females of Nigerian nationality to DCIM custody in Tripoli. All females were served with judicial deportation orders and are awaiting deportation.”
It added that the deportees included those who had previously been transferred to DCIM facilities under judicial instructions.
DCIM, with Nigerian consular support, repatriated 80 migrants of Nigerian nationality via Mitiga Int. Airport in Tripoli. The group includes migrants transferred by the Judicial Police who were served with judicial deportation orders,” the post read.
The latest deportation comes amid renewed collaboration between Libyan authorities and foreign missions to address concerns over overcrowded detention centres, human rights violations, and unregulated migration.
Libya, a key transit route for migrants seeking to reach Europe, continues to face international pressure to reform its detention and repatriation practices amid growing reports of abuse and inhumane conditions.
