By George Omagbemi Sylvester
A total of 263 Nigerians who were stranded in Agadez, Niger Republic have voluntarily returned to Nigeria under a coordinated Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration (AVRR) initiative, touching down in Kano State on 26 February 2026 aboard two Sky Mali flights arranged in collaboration with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the Federal Government.
The returnees, drawn from diverse states across Nigeria, included men, women and children who had travelled to Agadez during attempts to reach Europe via irregular migration routes but became stranded in the desert town; a common transit point for migrants seeking greener pastures abroad. The AVRR programme offered them a dignified and safe pathway home after they expressed willingness to return, with authorities facilitating travel logistics, documentation and immediate humanitarian support upon arrival.
Upon landing at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, officials from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and immigration services received the returnees, ensuring biometric registration and profiling in line with reintegration processes. Observers say such repatriations not only protect vulnerable citizens from exploitation and hardship abroad but also reinforce government and international efforts to reduce dangerous irregular migration by providing viable options for safe return and reintegration.
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