Libyan authorities have deported 80 Nigerians who were detained in various holding centres across the country, as part of ongoing efforts to curb illegal migration and decongest overcrowded detention facilities.
The repatriation exercise, which took place on Wednesday through Mitiga International Airport in Tripoli, was coordinated by Libya’s Department for Combating Illegal Migration (DCIM) in collaboration with the Nigerian Consulate.
Migrant Rescue Watch, an organisation that monitors migrant rights and welfare in Libya, confirmed the development in a post on X (formerly known)The group explained that the deportation followed an order issued by the Libyan Judicial Police under the directive of the Public Prosecutor’s Office.
“Judicial Police Department, acting on the orders of the Public Prosecutor’s Office, transferred a group of undocumented Nigerian migrant women to DCIM custody in Tripoli. All were issued judicial deportation orders and prepared for repatriation,” the organisation stated.
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Providing further details, Migrant Rescue Watch added, “On November 11, 2025, the DCIM, with the support of the Nigerian Consulate, successfully repatriated 80 migrants of Nigerian nationality via Mitiga International Airport, Tripoli. The group included several migrants previously transferred by the Judicial Police.”
Libya, a key transit country for African migrants attempting to reach Europe through the Mediterranean, has intensified operations against undocumented migrants in recent months. The government has faced growing criticism from international human rights organisations over poor conditions in detention facilities, where overcrowding, lack of medical care, and limited access to legal assistance remain major concerns.
The Nigerian government, through its consular mission in Libya, has been working with local authorities and international partners to facilitate the safe return of citizens stranded in detention or intercepted at sea while attempting irregular migration.
In recent years, thousands of Nigerians have been repatriated from Libya through both voluntary and enforced return programmes coordinated by the International Organization for Migration and the Nigerian government.
