Nigeria vows to punish traffickers to Libya: official

LAGOS, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- Nigeria will prosecute those involved in the trafficking of Nigerians to Libya to serve as deterrent to others, a top official with the country's anti-trafficking agency said Tuesday.

Julie Okah-Donli, director general of National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), told reporters that the information of how they got to Libya and those responsible would be taken to identify the traffickers and punish them accordingly.

The director added that her officers are currently in Libya to get necessary information on those responsible for the trafficking of Nigerians.

"If any suspected trafficker in Libya is identified and the person is not willing to come back, such suspect must be repatriated to face the trial in Nigeria," she said.

Okah-Donli, who is part of the government delegation to evacuate Nigerians from Libya, said so far 972 returnees have been brought back to the country.

According to her, 485 returnees were evacuated on Sunday and another 487 were also received in Port Harcourt on Monday.

The Nigerian government on Monday said it evacuated 1,030 stranded Nigerian migrants from Libya between Jan. 7 and 8.

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has approved that a center be set up in the southern city of Port Harcourt for the returnees. Enditem