326 stranded Nigerians arrive from Libya

By Rafiu Ajakaye</p> <p>LAGOS, Nigeria (AA) – Some 326 Nigerians stranded in crisis-ridden Libya have returned to the country's commercial capital Lagos, officials said on Friday.</p> <p>Idris Mohamed, Lagos head of the relief agency NEMA, said the returnees arrived in two batches late Thursday and early Friday morning.</p> <p>Mohamed said the repatriation was facilitated by the UN’s International Organization for Migration and the European Union under the assisted voluntary returnees’ program.</p> <p>On Thursday 143 of the returnees arrived on board a plane run by Tripoli-based Buraq airlines, while early Friday another 183 touched down in Lagos on board a plane from Tunisian-based Nouvelair.</p> <p>“The breakdown of the returnees shows that they included 148 female adults, six female children, and 15 female infants, making a total of 169 females,” said Mohamed.</p> <p>“The males are 143 male adults, two male children, and 12 male infants, making a total of 157 males.”</p> <p>Thousands of Nigerians have been evacuated from war-torn Libya after videos emerged of their suffering and alleged slave-raiding of black Africans in the country.</p> <p>