APS seeks end to deportation  from Libya to Niger as 613 people deported

Alarme Phone Sahara (APS) a cooperation project between associations, groups and individuals in the Sahel-Saharan region and Europe to defend lives and the freedom of movement. has called for an end to deportations from Libya to Niger Republic.

On the night of 3 to 4 January 2025, APS said 613 Niger nationals, including minors, arrived in the desert town of Dirkou, having been deported from Libya. Most of the people concerned had previously been held in detention centres in Libya.

According to the APS team, the people who were deported come from the regions of Tillabéri, Tahoua, Maradi, Diffa, Niamey and Dosso. Among them were 63 minors, and 4 people arrived in a sick condition.

The people were arrested in various places in Libya, including Tripoli, Gatrone, Sabha and Misrata, in different locations such as mosques, on the street and in workplaces. According to the Alarme Phone Sahara team, all their belongings, including mobile phones and money, were confiscated by Libyan forces.

The Alarme Phone Sahara (APS) team provided assistance to deportees in cooperation with other organisations, such as the Red Cross, CIAUD (International Committee for Relief and Development) and the IOM. The teams distributed 10 bags of dates and a few food kits to alleviate the situation of people deported in painful conditions

Alarme Phone Sahara is calling for a stop of deportations from Libya, respect for the free movement and human rights of all people on the move, and an end to the European Union’s anti-migration deals with the Maghreb countries!