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Nigerian President Vows to Bring Back Stranded Citizens in Libya, Elsewhere

by VOA News

   Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has vowed to bring back citizens
   who are stranded in Libya and other parts of the world by expanding the
   country's socio-economic programs.

   Before the 5th African Union-European Union summit in Abidjan, Ivory
   Coast, Buhari also promised Tuesday to "take all necessary steps" to
   "stem the tide of illegal migration by Nigerians," according to a
   statement from the president's spokesman.

   African and European leaders began high-level talks Wednesday on
   migration, a key issue that has received more attention since video was
   disseminated showing what appeared to be West African migrants being
   sold at a slave auction in Libya, drawing condemnation from around the
   world.

   In reaction to the video, Buhari said it was deplorable that "some
   Nigerians [in the footage] were being sold like goats for a few dollars
   in Libya."

   "It is very important that we simply support Africans to put a stop to
   illegal migration, so people don't have to either suffer in horrible
   camps in Libya or are even being traded," said German Chancellor Angela
   Merkel at the beginning of the two-day summit.

   French President Emmanual Macron said on the eve of the summit in the
   West African country of Burkina Faso that the trafficking of African
   migrants was a "crime against humanity."

   Burkina Faso's foreign affairs minister has already recalled his
   ambassador from Libya, saying it is "unacceptable to have slaves in
   this 21st century."

   Buhari said his government would reduce the number of Nigerians
   illegally migrating to Europe through the Sahara Desert and the
   Mediterranean Sea by expanding domestic education, food safety and
   health care programs.

   Libya is the primary departure location for mostly African migrants
   attempting to enter Europe. Smugglers often pack them into unstable
   inflatable boats that frequently break down or sink.

   Europe has struggled to stem the flow of Africans who make the
   dangerous trek through development aid, tighter border controls and
   other means. But many Africans are willing to risk death and abuse to
   seek jobs or escape conflict.

   European Parliament President Antonio Tajani told lawmakers from both
   continents before the summit that quick solutions must be found to meet
   the needs of the African population, which he said is projected to
   double to nearly 2.5 billion people by 2050.

   Tajani said Africa must create millions of jobs for young people or
   they will become disillusioned.

   "We will then be facing problems of radicalization, especially in
   unstable regions such as the Sahel, but also much more widespread
   migration," Tajani said.