Story Highlight: 531 Edo indigenes have been deported from Libya to the Edo state so far
November 27, 2018: A Libya returnee and father of five, Mr. Sylvester Agho, has described his 5 months experience in the North African country as hellish and harrowing, just as he promised to join in the fight against illegal migration.
He made the disclosure while fielding questions from newsmen in Benin, Edo State capital, weekend, shortly after their deportation from Libya.
One of the 164 returnees from Libya facilitated by International Organisation on Migration and National Emergency Management Agency on arrival at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja, Lagos on Thursday.
Agho, who said he was glad to have been back to the country, said the moment one leaves his country, he loses his freedom, pointing that there is no other country that can be likened to Nigeria. He said: “I am happy because there is no place like home.
When you are in Nigeria, you have the freedom to move about without molestation, but the moment you step out of the shores of Nigeria, you have lost your freedom.
“There is a great discrimination over there. But in Nigeria, there is nothing like such. You can work freely unlike over there.” Mr. Agho, who is among the 531 Edo indigenes deported from Libya to the Edo state, said he will advise those still thinking of leaving the country to have a rethink and look for something meaningful to do to earn a better livelihood rather than endangering their lives in a foreign land.
His words: “I left this country on June 15 this year and I am back today, which means that I spent five months and some week there. But throughout that period, I was in hell.
“There was nothing good over there. There is nothing on earth that will make me to say that I want to travel by land to Europe. But for those going back, I will advise them to stay in Nigeria and find something else to do.”
‘They don’t respect human’ Another returnee, Mr. Destiny Gabriel, said he was overwhelmed with joy to have being deported back to Nigeria.
“When I came to Nigeria last night, I was happy. I had joy and freedom because we lived in a place where there was no freedom. They do not have respect for human beings.
“On coming home, we are expecting to get something to start up our lives again because a lot of us spent our last money, sold our property to leave this country to get a better life.”
“Governments should do something. They should not allow the youths to enter the streets. They should do something that will encourage us to know that our governments are really there for us.
“I appreciate the governor, who said we should stay in this hotel for three days. But after three days, what then happens to us? Where do we go from here? These are the questions I am asking.”
Source: Vanguard Nigeria