Buhari committed to addressing illegal migration, say APC

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has said that the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration is committed to mitigating the migration crisis Nigerians are facing, particularly in Libya and in the Mediterranean Sea.

The party stated this in a statement issued by Mr Yekini Nabena, its National Publicity Secretary in Abuja on Sunday when he reacted to comments made by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on the issue.

He condemned attempts by the PDP to politicise Buhari’s statement on the illegal migration and trafficking of Nigerians during the recent visit of the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel to Nigeria.

“The PDP in its typical insensitive and unguarded stance on matters affecting the country is exploiting an issue that borders to on the lives of Nigerians, mostly youths.

“It is a known fact that many Nigerian families have suffered grief as a result of deaths and other inhuman treatment that have befell relatives attempting migration to Europe and other parts of the world.

“Through support of international agreements and efforts towards curbing illegal migration, repatriation of stranded Nigerian migrants and addressing root causes encouraging illegal migration of Nigerians, the President Buhari administration has demonstrated the political will to check the scourge,” he said.

It noted that the pains and sufferings most Nigerians go through with the hope of reaching Europe had been well reported through relevant agencies.

He recalled the presidential directive for Nigerians to be evacuated from Libya and other locations and be returned home safely.

Nabena said the administration had already put in place several interventionist programmes to enable such persons start new and productive lives in the country.

He said that with unemployment and poverty identified as one of the root causes of illegal migration, the President Buhari administration was using initiatives to check the ugly trend.

He listed the initiatives as: N-Power, Bank of Industry Youth Entrepreneurship Support, Central Bank of Nigeria support schemes, Agriculture, Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) to reduce the rate of unemployment in the country.