At least 1,429 Nigerians were repatriated from Niger Republic in May 2026, the latest data from the Mixed Migration Centre show.

This is as the West African country continues to serve as a major transit corridor for citizens attempting the dangerous journey to Europe through Libya and Algeria.

The figures are contained in the Quarterly Mixed Migration Update for West Africa, Quarter 2 2026 and obtained by Saturday PUNCH as the latest data on stranded Nigerian migrants along the Sahel migration corridor.

The latest data come as Nigeria continues to grapple with a wider japa wave, driven largely by economic hardship that has also pushed hundreds of thousands of citizens toward the UK, the United States, Canada, and other destinations through both regular and irregular channels in recent years.

The data cited a Saturday PUNCH report from May in which the Nigeria Immigration Service confirmed the arrival of at least 1,100 Nigerians who travelled by road from Niger Republic on May 22, 2026.

Two days later, the National Emergency Management Agency received an additional 329 returnees from Agadez, Niger’s main desert transit hub, bringing the total to more than 1,400.

The Mixed Migration Centre, a Geneva-headquartered research body affiliated with the Danish Refugee Council, stated that the mass return “highlight the continued presence of stranded migrants in Niger, many of whom face prolonged stays in IOM (International Organization for Migration) centres or urban areas with limited resources.”

Agadez, roughly 950 kilometres north-east of Niger’s capital, Niamey, has for over a decade functioned as the main northbound staging post for West Africans attempting to cross the Sahara into Libya or Algeria, before onward sea crossings to Italy or Spain.

The report showed that Nigerians remained among the persistent nationalities still attempting the Central Mediterranean Route into Italy.

As of May 2026, 163 Nigerians had arrived in Italy via that route, behind only Mali (193) among West African nationalities, though the figure was down from 196 Nigerian arrivals recorded over the same period in 2025.

The document also showed that Nigerians were also being swept up in a parallel and largely unrecorded expulsion running from Algeria back into Niger.

Citing Alarm Phone Sahara, a Sahel-based migrant rights network, the report disclosed that at least 14,602 people were expelled from Algeria into Niger between January 18 and May 17, 2026 alone.

It said this was equivalent to 43 per cent of the reported 34,000 expulsions recorded through the whole of 2025.

While most of these convoys officially return Nigerien nationals, the report noted that “increasing numbers of Nigeriens have also been included in unofficial convoys, which have primarily affected non-Nigeriens,” with those affected reportedly including nationals of Mali, Guinea, Nigeria, Sudan, and Chad.

The report added that on several occasions, migrants expelled from Algeria into Niger Republic were subsequently pushed back across the border into Algeria by Nigerien police.

It said this cycle of expulsion and re-expulsion has left affected migrants, Nigerians among them, in prolonged limbo along the borders.

Regionally, the report said Spain recorded 12,138 irregular arrivals by sea and land as of June 30, 2026, a 33 per cent decline from the same period in 2025, driven mainly by a 67 per cent drop in Atlantic Route crossings to the Canary Islands.

But the report cautioned that falling number of arrivals “do not necessarily reflect fewer crossing attempts,” noting that recorded deaths and disappearances on that same route fell by just 16 per cent, which was a far smaller decline than the drop in arrivals.

The role of Niger Republic as West Africa’s principal transit corridor dates back more than a decade, but accelerated after the collapse of the Muammar Gaddafi regime in Libya in 2011 and opened new smuggling routes northward.

Agadez, a UNESCO World Heritage desert town, became the last major stopover before migrants crossed hundreds of kilometres of open desert into Libya or Algeria.

Under pressure from the European Union, Niger Republic in 2015 passed a law criminalising migrant smuggling, which reduced visible transit through Agadez for several years but pushed smugglers and migrants onto riskier, less-monitored desert routes.

Niger’s military government, which seized power in a 2023 coup, later repealed the anti-smuggling law, a move rights groups said reopened Agadez as one of Africa’s busiest migration routes and complicated cooperation with European partners on migration control.

Nigeria, under the ECOWAS Protocol on Free Movement of Persons, allows its citizens to travel to Niger Republic without a visa for up to 90 days.

The report said this freedom has long made the neighbouring country both a legitimate trade corridor and an easy first step for Nigerians attempting onward irregular migration to North Africa and Europe.
(Saturday PUNCH)

The Headquarters Nigerian Army Ordnance Corps (NAOC) has declared one of its personnel wanted over his alleged involvement in the illegal sale and supply of military uniforms to terrorists and other criminal elements.

It said that preliminary investigations indicated that the soldier, who was serving at the Nigerian Army Ordnance Kits Factory, absconded from his unit on June 3, 2026.

“The Headquarters Nigerian Army Ordnance Corps (NAOC) has declared one of its personnel, Private Mohammed Yusuf Amutu, wanted over his alleged involvement in the illegal sale and supply of military uniforms to terrorists and other criminal elements,” it said in a statement by Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, Major Oluwatope Aluko, on Thursday.

It said that intensive efforts are underway to locate and apprehend him to face a full investigation and appropriate disciplinary action in accordance with extant military laws.

“The Nigerian Army Ordnance Corps wishes to state unequivocally that it has zero tolerance for misconduct, indiscipline, or any act capable of compromising the operational effectiveness, integrity and reputation of the Nigerian Army or threatening national security,” it added.

The military authorities said any personnel found to have aided terrorists, criminals or other non-state actors through the unauthorised sale, diversion or distribution of military uniforms, accoutrements or other controlled items would be subjected to the full weight of military and civil laws.

The Corps, therefore, appealed to members of the public to support ongoing efforts by providing credible information that could lead to the arrest of the wanted soldier.

It noted that such information should be reported immediately to the nearest military formation or any security agency.

“The Headquarters Nigerian Army Ordnance Corps reassures Nigerians of its unwavering commitment to accountability, professionalism and the protection of military assets.

“The Corps will continue to strengthen internal control measures and ensure that every allegation of misconduct is thoroughly investigated while those found culpable are held fully accountable,” it added. (Channels TV)

The Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, has reacted to Thursday’s runway incident involving the state-owned airline, Enugu Air, at Benin Airport, empathizing with the passengers and crew members over the traumatic experience.

Mbah, in a statement he personally signed, commended the aviation authorities for immediately initiating an investigation into the incident, saying that, for Enugu Air, safety remained non-negotiable.

In the statement made available to newsmen on Friday, the governor said, “The Enugu State Government is aware of the runway excursion incident affecting Enugu Air, Embraer E170, Flight 4264, operating until the Benin Airport from Lagos on Thursday, July 23, 2026.

“The government empathizes with the 63 passengers and five crew members on board the aircraft over the traumatic experience and is thankful to God that no life was lost and no injuries have so far been reported.

“The government commends the swiftness of the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) in embarking on the ongoing investigation to determine the circumstances and factors that may have led to the incident. The government will ensure the full cooperation of its going concern, Enugu Air, with the investigation and regulatory authorities.

“While the outcome of the investigation is awaited, the government assures the public that the operations of Enugu Air are guided by the highest safety standards. The airline is founded on a corporate culture that places safety above profit and schedule, and its quality assurance and quality control systems stipulate a safety threshold that is considerably higher than the industry benchmark.

“This accounts for the growing confidence and patronage the airline has continued to enjoy from both passengers and industry stakeholders. Enugu Air will therefore continue to serve its teeming customers and abide by its utmost commitment to safety, professionalism, and a sense of hospitality.”

He thanked Nigerians for their support following the incident, as many continued to relive their pleasurable experiences flying the airline.

“The Enugu State Government wishes to express its profound gratitude to Nigerians for the outpouring of solidarity since the unfortunate incident. Quite uncommonly, Nigerians have continued to share their positive experiences with Enugu Air since it was launched a year ago. This matters so much to us as a government at this time,” he concluded.