The Nigerian migrants evacuation Niger operation has officially begun, with 497 stranded Nigerians returning home from Niger Republic through a coordinated humanitarian mission led by the Federal Government and the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
The first batch of returnees arrived at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport on Friday afternoon after departing from Agadez in Niger Republic. The evacuation forms part of the IOM’s Voluntary Humanitarian Return programme aimed at assisting stranded migrants across the region.
The Nigerian migrants evacuation Niger exercise was handled by the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI) in collaboration with several government and humanitarian agencies. Officials from the commission’s Kano Field Office, alongside immigration and emergency response agencies, were present to receive the returnees upon arrival.
According to the Federal Commissioner of the NCFRMI, Dr. Tijjani Aliyu Ahmed, the operation followed advance notification from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs through its Consular and Migration Affairs Division. The evacuation is expected to continue between May 22 and May 25, 2026, and is being conducted in multiple phases.
Authorities initially projected that about 600 Nigerians would arrive in the first batch, but 497 migrants were eventually transported back to the country. Officials disclosed that the returnees include 174 adult men, 97 adult women, 137 boys, and 89 girls.
Several agencies participated in the reception and support process, including the Nigeria Immigration Service, NAPTIP, NEMA, NSCDC, NDLEA, DSS, SEMA, and the Nigerian Red Cross Society. Upon arrival, the migrants underwent registration and documentation procedures, including MIDAS biometric registration conducted by immigration officials.
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After processing, the returnees were transferred to the Immigration Training School in Kano, where they are expected to receive food, profiling assistance, healthcare support, and other humanitarian services.
The operation highlights ongoing regional migration challenges affecting many West African migrants stranded across transit routes in North Africa and neighbouring countries. Nigerian authorities say the evacuation is part of broader efforts to support vulnerable citizens abroad while strengthening migration management and humanitarian response systems.
