The federal government has issued a renewed warning to Nigerians against undertaking illegal journeys to Libya, describing the North African nation as a death trap with no viable route to Europe.
Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, who sounded the alarm, said the government remains deeply concerned over the rising number of Nigerians falling victim to human traffickers and ending up in Libyan detention camps.
Dabiri-Erewa revealed that despite sustained awareness campaigns and multiple evacuation missions, thousands of Nigerians continue to risk their lives by paying traffickers huge sums with the false hope of crossing into Europe.
“This year alone, over 5,000 Nigerians have been brought back from Libya through the efforts of the Refugee Commission and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM),” she said. “But unfortunately, many are still going, despite being warned repeatedly.”
She described the situation as a vicious cycle, where traffickers continue to exploit the desperation of Nigerians, collecting as much as N1.5 million from victims to facilitate illegal migration through deadly desert routes and war-torn Libya.
“These people you see making distress calls paid someone to take them there. They sell all they have, pay traffickers, and end up in places worse than where they are running from. Libya is not an escape route; it is a trap,” Dabiri-Erewa said.
The NIDCOM boss explained that the government cannot abandon Nigerians in distress, which is why a multi-agency collaboration led by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) has been quietly coordinating rescue operations. However, she warned that such efforts come with enormous security risks.
“Libya is a lawless state with no government to negotiate with. Rebel factions control territories, and even to access certain camps, you need clearance from these groups. It is a dangerous mission, and that is why the ONSA is handling it discreetly with the IOM,” she said.
She also called for traffickers responsible for luring Nigerians into these perilous journeys to be arrested and prosecuted.
“They must be named and shamed. These are criminals who feed fat on people’s misery,” she said.
