14 stranded Liberian illegal migrants rescued, returned home

The Liberia Immigration Service (LIS) in collaboration with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) has rescued and brought home 14 stranded Liberian illegal migrants from Niger on January 15.

The Focal person on Assistance Voluntary Return Program for the IOM in Liberia, Tamba Siaffa, told the Liberia News Agency (LINA) at the Roberts International Airport Wednesday upon the return of the migrants that they were en route to Europe by way of Algeria and Libya when they got stranded in the Sahara Desert between Algeria and Niger.

Saiffa stated that when the Liberian Government received information about the stranded migrants, it through the LIS conducted a Skype interview with them and issued the migrants emergency travel certificate that enabled the IOM repatriate them to Liberia.

He, however, encouraged the returning migrants to take advantage of the reintegration assistance that will be given to them by the IOM and not use it to migrate again and yet expect another reintegration aid from the IOM.

Siaffa told LINA that on January 14, 2020 three stranded Liberian migrants were received from Mauritania and that one more stranded migrant is expected in the country on January 17 from Thailand.

IOM is the leading inter-governmental organization in the field of migration and works closely with governmental, intergovernmental and non-governmental partners on issues in the sector.

It is dedicated to promoting human orderly migration for the benefit of all and does so by providing services and advices to governments and migrants.

IOM works to help ensure the orderly and human management of migration, to promote international cooperation on migration issues, as well as assist in the search for practical solutions to migration problems and provide humanitarian assistance to migrants in need, including refugees and internally displaced people.
Source: liberianewsagency.com