By Miriam Humbe
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Abuja Operations Office (AOO), on Monday coordinated the reception of 37 Nigerian nationals returned from the Republic of Türkiye at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
The returnees arrived aboard a chartered aircraft following an official notification from the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which informed the Agency of their scheduled arrival as part of ongoing efforts to facilitate the orderly return of Nigerian citizens.
In line with its statutory mandate, NEMA Abuja Operations Office activated a coordinated reception mechanism involving relevant government agencies and humanitarian partners to ensure a seamless, dignified, and humane reception process for the returnees.
The exercise included documentation, profiling, medical screening, and the provision of immediate humanitarian assistance to support the returnees upon arrival before they were handed over to the appropriate authorities for further reintegration processes.
Speaking during the exercise, the Head of NEMA Abuja Operations Office, Pharm. Zakari Abubakar, reaffirmed the Agency’s commitment to safeguarding the dignity and welfare of vulnerable persons 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 strong collaboration among participating agencies, noting that coordinated efforts remain critical to ensuring efficient reception and reintegration support for returning migrants.
Stakeholders involved in the exercise included the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), officials of the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, airport authorities, security agencies, and other relevant partners.
