Odimmegwa Johnpeter/Abuja
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has coordinated the reception of 37 Nigerian nationals repatriated from the Republic of Türkiye, reaffirming its commitment to ensuring the safe, dignified and humane return of vulnerable citizens.
The returnees arrived on Monday at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, aboard a chartered aircraft following an official notification from the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which informed the Agency of the scheduled repatriation as part of ongoing efforts to facilitate the orderly return of Nigerians from abroad.
In response, the NEMA Abuja Operations Office (AOO) activated a multi-agency reception framework involving relevant government institutions and humanitarian partners to ensure a seamless reception process.
The exercise included documentation, profiling, medical screening, and the provision of immediate humanitarian assistance before the returnees were handed over to the appropriate authorities for further reintegration and rehabilitation.
Speaking during the exercise, the Head of the NEMA Abuja Operations Office, Pharm. Zakari Abubakar reaffirmed the Agency’s commitment to protecting the dignity and welfare of returning Nigerians through effective inter-agency collaboration.
“At NEMA, our priority is to ensure that every returning Nigerian is treated with dignity, compassion, and respect. We encourage our compatriots to embrace this opportunity for a fresh start, remain law-abiding, and take advantage of available government support programmes aimed at facilitating their successful reintegration into society,” he said.
Pharm. Abubakar also commended the cooperation among participating agencies, stressing that strong collaboration remains essential to ensuring efficient reception procedures and sustainable reintegration support for returning migrants.
Agencies that participated in the exercise included the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, airport authorities, security agencies and other relevant stakeholders.
NEMA said it would continue to work closely with relevant institutions and development partners to ensure that returning Nigerians receive the necessary support to rebuild their lives and successfully reintegrate into their communities.
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