By Victoria Ojeme

About 109 stranded Nigerians have been evacuated back to the country through Mali, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) has said.

IOM disclosed this in a statement on yesterday titled “Homecoming: 109 Stranded Nigerians Return from Mali Via Humanitarian Corridor.”

According to the humanitarian organisation, “on 28 July, 109 Nigerian migrants returned safely from Mali on a long-awaited charter flight organized by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) with the support of the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID) and the European Union (EU) through its Regional Direct Assistance Fund.”

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The flight—the first of its kind in Nigeria since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic—is the result of sustained negotiations between the governments of Mali and Nigeria to establish a humanitarian corridor, a mechanism that has allowed over 2,200 stranded migrants return safely and voluntarily throughout West Africa amid border closures.

“Humanitarian corridors are a much-needed alternative for thousands of stranded migrants who would otherwise remain in their countries of transit or destination with limited access to basic services,” said Saskia Kok, IOM Programme Manager, Migrant Protection and Assistance, in Nigeria.

“Our duty now is to provide these returnees with all the necessary support to ensure their successful reintegration back home.”

Before the pandemic, Nigerians stranded in Mali had been able to return within 30 days. In recent months, however, their wait has been prolonged owing to the border closures announced by governments to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Prior to departure, the returnees—including 12 pregnant women and new mothers tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 and received hygiene kits containing face masks and other protective gear.

Vanguard