More than 60,300 migrants have returned to Nigeria since 2017, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), which has been supporting voluntary return programmes for Nigerians stranded along dangerous migration routes.
The disclosure was made by the IOM Chief of Mission in Nigeria, Sharon Dimanche, during a media engagement in Benin City, the capital of Edo State. She explained that the returnees were assisted through programmes designed to rescue migrants trapped in irregular migration routes and help them safely return to their home communities.
Dimanche noted that many of the migrants had travelled through North Africa with the hope of reaching Europe but later became stranded due to harsh conditions, financial exploitation, or detention by traffickers and smugglers. According to her, the return programme focuses on ensuring migrants who choose to come back home can do so voluntarily, safely, and with dignity.
Many returnees, she said, had experienced severe hardship during their journeys, including abuse, forced labour, extortion, and dangerous desert crossings. Others were rescued from detention centres where migrants often face overcrowding and limited access to basic necessities.
Beyond facilitating their return, the IOM said it also provides reintegration support to help migrants rebuild their lives. This support includes psychosocial counselling, vocational training, business grants, and educational assistance, all aimed at helping returnees become economically independent and reintegrate into society.
Officials explained that reintegration programmes are essential in preventing migrants from attempting the risky journey again. By providing skills training and small business support, the programme helps returnees create sustainable livelihoods in their communities.
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