Abike Dabiri-Erewa, the chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), has sounded the alarm over thousands of Nigerian migrants stranded in Libya, warning that the situation has reached “deeply troubling” levels that demand urgent attention from both Nigerian authorities and international partners.

Her concern adds a fresh spotlight to an ongoing humanitarian crisis in North Africa, where Nigerians desperate for better economic opportunities often find themselves caught in a brutal cycle of trafficking, detention, and exploitation. According to aid agencies, Libya has become both a transit and trap zone for sub-Saharan Africans seeking to cross the Mediterranean into Europe.

NiDCOM’s revelation underscores a growing policy headache for Nigeria: how to protect its citizens abroad while addressing the root causes of dangerous migration routes. Over the past decade, thousands of Nigerians have been repatriated from Libya, often through the support of the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Yet, new waves of stranded citizens continue to emerge, suggesting that the cycle remains unbroken. Dabiri-Erewa’s remarks are significant because they place the issue not merely as a humanitarian concern but as a test of Nigeria’s migration diplomacy. “We cannot ignore the plight of our citizens in Libya,” she said. “This is a deeply troubling situation that requires stronger coordination between governments, international organizations, and our diaspora networks.”

The question is why Libya, despite its political instability and notoriety for abuse of migrants, remains a magnet for Nigerians. The answer, analysts say, lies in a blend of economic despair at home, powerful smuggling networks, and the enduring allure of Europe as a land of opportunity. For many Nigerians in rural communities, the dream of Europe begins with a perilous bus ride across the Sahel. Libya is both a gateway and graveyard. Those who survive the Sahara desert often end up in detention centers, sold into forced labor, or stranded without documentation. The irony, critics argue, is that while Nigeria’s diaspora remittances are celebrated as a key driver of the economy estimated at over $20 billion annually ittle structural support is provided for safe migration pathways. This disconnect leaves young Nigerians vulnerable to exploitation.

Although Nigeria has made high-profile efforts in recent years chartered flights for repatriation, awareness campaigns on irregular migration, and partnerships with IOM the recurring reports of stranded migrants raise questions about the effectiveness of these measures. Migration experts argue that what is missing is a long-term reintegration plan. Repatriated migrants often return to the same economic conditions that pushed them out, leaving them susceptible to making the journey again. Dabiri-Erewa has consistently advocated for a multi-pronged approach: creating jobs at home, strengthening border controls, cracking down on trafficking syndicates, and harnessing diaspora organizations to support vulnerable migrants. Yet implementation remains slow, partly due to bureaucratic bottlenecks and competing political priorities.

Behind every statistic is a personal story. Accounts from Nigerian returnees reveal harrowing experiences: women trafficked into sex work, men forced into labor under armed militias, and children separated from families. Human rights groups have documented instances of torture, organ trafficking, and killings. Take the case of 24-year-old Aisha (not her real name), a Nigerian rescued from a Libyan detention camp last year. She had left Edo State with dreams of reaching Italy, but instead endured months of abuse. “They told us Europe was close,” she recalled. “But instead we were trapped, beaten, and sold like goods.” Such testimonies highlight the stakes of Dabiri-Erewa’s warning: without urgent intervention, thousands more Nigerians may be lost in the corridors of irregular migration.

One overlooked dimension is the role of Nigeria’s diaspora. NiDCOM has argued that diaspora communities, often the first to hear of stranded compatriots, can play a stronger role in coordinating rescue missions and offering safe information to would-be migrants. Dabiri-Erewa’s statement is also a call for Nigerian professionals abroad to step into advocacy and resource mobilization. This approach shifts the narrative from Nigeria being a passive sender of migrants to an active protector of its people globally.

The Libya crisis carries broader implications for Nigeria’s international image and domestic stability. If unaddressed, the continuous cycle of stranded migrants may fuel perceptions of state weakness. It also threatens to undermine Nigeria’s ambition to position itself as a leader in Africa’s migration governance. Economists warn that irregular migration also robs Nigeria of its youth capital, young, energetic citizens who could drive innovation at home. Instead, they risk their lives in the desert and Mediterranean Sea.

Experts say Nigeria must reframe the migration conversation beyond reactive repatriation. This means institutional reforms that integrate migration into national development plans, job creation policies targeted at migration-prone regions like Edo, Delta, and Kano, international collaboration with Libya, the EU, and African Union to dismantle smuggling networks, and diaspora-led initiatives that provide mentorship, funding, and alternatives to irregular migration. (BusinessDay)