From Ighomuaye Lucky, Benin

International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the Federal Government, yesterday, said it has facilitated the voluntary return of over 21,000 Nigerians stranded in Libya, Niger, Mali, European countries and other transit and destination countries.

Head of Sub-Office, IOM, Benin, Wintana Tarekegn, disclosed this during a town hall meeting on Safe Migration in Benin.

“IOM, in coordination with the Federal Government, has facilitated to voluntarily return over 21,000 Nigerians migrants stranded in Libya, Niger, Mali, European countries and other transit and destination countries,” she said.

Tarekegn said the IOM and the United Nations (UN) Migration Agency were implementing several awareness-raising interventions in Nigeria.

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She said the town hall meeting was to establish ways and linkages on how to integrate migration discussions in schools to bring about increased knowledge and awareness on the risk of irregular migration, human trafficking and smuggling of migrants.

Project Assistant Migration Management/Awareness Raising, Elijah Elaigwu, said IOM found out from its research that, most students from various schools don’t know much about irregular migration and thus decided to take the messages to their doorsteps at schools.

He said with the knowledge of the dangers inherent in irregular migrations, it will help them form a right decision and avoid the pit fall.

Elaigwu said IOM has trained 43 volunteers in Edo, Lagos and Delta states with a view to discouraging irregular migration.