Over a hundred Nigerians who were stranded in Libya have returned.
The 118 returnees among whom are 51 males, 41 females, 17 children and nine infants arrived at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja at 1.30 am local time on Wednesday via Buraq air.
This development is coming at a time when the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes, (UNODC) disclosed that more Nigerians are likely to become victims of human trafficking as a result of the economic downturn which has been worsened by the impact of COVID-19.
According to reports by UNODC, Nigeria is the source, transit and destination country for human trafficking and the root causes of trafficking include poverty, lack of education, globalisation, corruption and gender inequality.
Jessica Ebrard, a representative from UNODC stated COVID-19 has had a drastic economic effect that has led to the loss of jobs, making more people vulnerable to be trafficked out of Nigeria.
She explained that traffickers disguise themselves as helpers to victims, whom they promise job opportunities and greener pastures outside the country only to traffick them for purposes of drug trade, servitudes, prostitution and organ harvesting amongst others.
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