Nigerians lament conditions in deportation camp in Libya, cry for help

By Philippine Duru

Nigerians in a deportation camp in Libya have decried the living condition in the facility run by a UN agency and have cried out for their government’s, organisations and kind-hearted individuals’ help.

They said the condition of the camp, which is run by a United Nation (UN) agency, is unbearable.

Their call is contained in a viral video showing a number of Nigerians sandwiched in a holding facility.

“They have been in the camp for seven months while awaiting deportation,” according to a man who narrated their ordeal in the video.

Though unconfirmed, the man said many of the awaiting deportees had died as a result of the maltreatment they received from the host authorities.

The man in the video said there were about 700 Nigerians at the deportation camp when they first got to there, but have reduced to about 400.

He raised the alarm that the Nigerian migrants were dying almost daily in the facility.

The man added: “These are Nigerians, as you are watching this video. It is a clear picture of what we are passing through in Libya today, being August 5. Since over seven months that we have been in this so-called deportation camp, we’ve been dying in numbers: children, adults, teenagers, and women.”

“When you take a close look at this video, it will explain the conditions that Nigerians are in, right here in Libya in a place called Brakchat, 60 kilometres away from Sabhā. And as we are watching this video, it is at our expense because we are restricted from the use of phones.

“You can see how Nigerians are lying here for over seven months. This is how we keep dying and we keep counting dead souls on a daily basis. Even as of yesterday, we lost a child and a teenager here because of maltreatment and the punishments we are going through.

“Please, as you are watching this video, it is a wake-up call for Nigeria’s intervention over our situation right here. And the number of Nigerians here is approximately 400, though we were up to 700 when we came here. The death rate here has increased and there are about 400 remaining.

“Please, we have to do this video as a proof to Nigeria over what we are passing through here. If you watch this video, you will see some of us are bandaged. Some of us cannot even bring our hands down because of injuries that we have sustained…”

Reacting to the viral video, the Federal Government  of Nigeria  said it had ordered an immediate investigation into the situation.

According to the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, the ministry had directed its Embassy in Tripoli to investigate the matter and report back.

Ebienfa said: “We have contacted the Embassy of Nigeria in Tripoli to find out the details and report to the headquarters for necessary action.”