179 stranded Nigerians return home from. Sudan

The Federal Government has evacuated 179 Nigerians stranded in Sudan.

This exercise is carried out in collaboration with the International Organization for Migration (IOM)

This was stated by IOM Senior Communications Assistant, Elijah Eliagwu in his statement, Thursday in Benin City.

The migrants arrived at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport in Kano on Tuesday from Port Sudan under the European Union-backed Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration (AVRR) program.

Elaigwu said the repatriation marked the first organized repatriation of Nigerian migrants from Sudan in 2026 and the fourth since 2025.

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According to him, many of the returnees are trapped in the ongoing conflict in Sudan, where they face food shortages, limited access to health services and increased protection risks.

“These are people who have been living in fear and uncertainty for months, unsure when or how they will be able to return home,” Refaat Mohamed, IOM Head of Mission in Port Sudan was quoted as saying in the statement.

“Bringing them back safely is not just about transportation. It’s about dignity. It’s about ensuring that, even in a crisis, people are treated as human beings first.”