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7,000 Nigerians stranded in Libya – NiDCOM

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has revealed that approximately 7,000 Nigerian migrants are currently stranded in Libya. Newspaper subscription bundles

Dabiri-Erewa stated this on Tuesday night during the official launch of the International Organisation for Migration Strategic Plan for Nigeria (2025–2027), held in Abuja.

She said: “As we speak, 7,000 Nigerians are stranded in Libya. In 2025, people still travel through the desert to die.”

MEANWHILE, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) Nigeria has ranked Nigeria among the highest in the rate of irregular migration, saying that 70,000 irregular migrants have been returned to the country since it started operation in Nigeria in 2001.

Deputy Director-General, Operations at IOM, Ugochi Florence Daniels, revealed this when she paid a courtesy visit to the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, at her office in Abuja.

However, a statement, signed by Special Assistant on Communication and New Media, Office of the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Magnus Eze, quoted Daniels as saying that about 27,000 of them had been reintegrated into the society through its Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration Programme (AVRR) within the period.

She gave reassurance that the organisation would be dedicated to promoting humane and orderly migration for all migrants, as well as accelerating the transformative initiatives to reach the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including the Africa Union’s Agenda 2063.

Also speaking, Odumegwu-Ojukwu reiterated the Federal Government’s readiness to forge better collaboration with IOM in tackling the migration crisis, especially irregular migration.

She blamed the increasing spate of irregular migration, especially among the youths, on the myth of pursuing ‘greener pasture’ abroad, saying that the government sustained a campaign to dispel the myth.

The minister, therefore, acknowledged the longstanding cooperation between Nigeria and IOM in addressing concerns relating to vulnerable migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), while applauding IOM’s strategic direction to save lives, and facilitate pathways for regular migration.

Also, in view of the financial challenges currently facing the Organisation, the minister stressed the need to initiate and execute programmes that address the existential needs of persons of concern to IOM in line with national priorities.

She urged the Organisation to ensure harmonisation of activities with Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and other international organisations, advising the body to leverage its global status to engender novel financial partnership from non-traditional donors.

 

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Sports

Libya rejects CAF’s verdict, files appeal

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

The Libya Football Federation (LFF) has launched an appeal to the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for the punishment meted out to them on the botched 2025 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier against Nigeria.

Daily Trust had reported how the Super Eagles of Nigeria faced significant challenges, including a redirected flight, over 18 hours of delays, and logistical issue during a trip for return leg of the 1-0 match in favour of Nigeria in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

As a result, CAF canceled the match, awarding three goals and three points to the Super Eagles while slamming a $50,000 fine on the Libyans.

A statement by CAF Disciplinary Board in its ruling on Saturday, signed by the chairman, Ousmane Kane, said the Disciplinary Board ruled met and decided as follows:

The Libya Football Federation is found to have breached Article 31 of the Africa Cup of Nations Regulations as well as Articles 82 and 151 of the CAF Disciplinary Code.

“The match No. 87 Libya v. Nigeria of the CAF Africa Cup of Nations Qualifiers 2025 (scheduled to be played on 15 October in Benghazi) declared lost by forfeit by Libya (by a score of 3-0).

“The Libya Football Federation is ordered to pay a fine of USD 50,000. The fine is to be paid within 60 days of notification of the present decision. All other and further motions or prayers for relief are dismissed.”

However, according to Libyan outlet alwasat.ly, the LFF considers as unfair the decision that has placed them at the bottom of Group D in the AFCON qualifiers.

The Libyan authorities have therefore engaged the services of a Tunisian lawyer, Ali Abbas, to defend their position.

The outcome of this appeal could have significant implications for the ongoing qualification process, particularly for Nigeria, who currently needs only one more point to secure their place in the competition in Morocco.

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Headlines

Nigeria’s Military Strength Under PMB Government

by Leading Reporters
written by Leading Reporters

Nigeria’s military is ranked the fourth in Africa and thirty-fifth in the world with respect to strength.

This is according to data from Global Firepower. According to the data, Nigeria has had constant military growth since the beginning of the Buhari administration.

According to the Global Firepower ranking, the lower the power index of a country, the higher the military capability of such a country. 0.000 is considered a perfect power index.

The country’s military strength index currently stands at 0.5745, which is a slight improvement compared to 2021 when the power index was 0.62. 

The power index is determined by several factors which are grouped under 8 indicators. They include manpower, land system, airpower, naval power, resources, logistical, financial, and geographic.

In the last 7 years, Nigeria has maintained fourth and fifth position in Africa in terms of military strength out of the 54 countries. Egypt on the other hand has maintained the first position, making it the country with the strongest military strength in the period under review. 

Other countries that rank high on the list are Algeria, Ethiopia, South Africa, Kenya, Libya, and Morocco. 

Ranking of Military Strength of selected African Countries

Egypt ranks 12th globally in the 2022 ranking of military strength, while South Africa, Algeria, and Ethiopia, rank 26th, 31st, and 65th  respectively.  

Nigeria’s Military Strength Power Index Under the Buhari Administration

Global Firepower data shows that in 2015, Nigeria’s power index stood at 1.526, the worst in the period under review. However, in 2016, it reduced by a great deal when 0.786 was recorded. 0.575 is the latest power index recorded for Nigeria. 

Current data also reveals that Nigeria has a total military personnel of 215,000 out of which 135,000 are active and 80,000 make up the paramilitary.

So far under the Buhari Administration, the Nigerian Air force has acquired a total of 38 aircraft, the Nigerian navy acquired close to 400 new platforms since 2015 which includes 14 houseboats, 4 helicopters, 4 capital ships, 12 manta class/inshore patrol craft, and 22 fast attack boats among others. 

The president also gave a directive to the Nigerian Navy to establish a naval base in Baga, Borno State, an area prone to criminal activities near the nation’s coast. 

The President also mobilised international support for the fight against Boko Haram from countries like the United States of America, United Kingdom, France, Germany, ECOWAS, UN, and AU, which led to the United States agreeing to sell 12 Super Tucano aircrafts to Nigeria in 2017

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Headlines

Revealed! Nigeria Lost 50% of Her Youths, World Bank

by Leading Reporters
written by Leading Reporters

Seeking to secure their future in a land with a viable economy and favourable economic conditions, it has been revealed that half of the Nigerian youths are seeking to travel out of the country.

According to the World Bank, an increasing number of Nigerian youths are planning to leave the country in search of greener pastures. This was revealed by the World Bank in a study titled “Of Roads Less Traveled: Assessing the Potential for Migration to Provide Overseas Jobs for Nigeria’s Youth,” which was released on the website of the World Bank this week.

future in a land with a viable economy and favourable economic conditions, it has been revealed that half of the Nigerian youths are seeking to travel out of the country.

According to the World Bank, an increasing number of Nigerian youths are planning to leave the country in search of greener pastures. This was revealed by the World Bank in a study titled “Of Roads Less Traveled: Assessing the Potential for Migration to Provide Overseas Jobs for Nigeria’s Youth,” which was released on the website of the World Bank this week.


Among the nations polled, Nigeria ranked third just behind Liberia (70 per cent) and Sierra Leone (60 per cent) in terms of respondents looking to permanently relocate to another country. Niger Republic came in at 10% ranking lowest in the study

The study revealed further that Nigerians were the largest group of migrants from Sub-Saharan Africa entering Europe in 2016 and 2017, with almost 40,000 migrants landing in Italy in 2016, and over 90% arriving by sea.

“With rising migratory pressures created by poor employment conditions, Nigerians are increasingly choosing to migrate through irregular means,” the World Bank said.

“A larger number of Nigerian migrants arriving in Italy were women (32 per cent) more than migrants from the rest of Sub-Saharan Africa (24 per cent),” the bank stated.

“However, the underlying economic and demographic factors that create migratory pressures are unlikely to subside in the near future, with other potential irregular routes being reported through Sudan and Chad to Libya” it noted.

I Have Done My Best For Nigeria On Poverty And Insecurity, Buhari Insists

With the current insecurity and growing poverty in Nigeria, President Muhammadu has said that he has done his best to rescue the country’s situation. This is as the President met with some members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Thursday. In a statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, Buhari made this known when he hosted some APC governors at his hometown in Daura, Katsina state.

According to Buhari, things were worse at the time he assumed power in 2015. He also added the security situation in the North-East had improved compared to what was happening there before 2015 when some parts of the region were being controlled by terrorists. He noted that he had to change the security chiefs and did what was necessary to achieve a level of security.

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