Libya: FG negotiating release of Nigerians in slave camps
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by isaac aregbesola5 he said the envoy also stressed on the need for improved bilateral relations between both countries1 foreign affairs minister geoffrey onyeama told the news agency of nigeria nan on tuesday in abuja that negotiations were ongoing with some of the militia groups controlling some camps who were demanding money to allow access to their camps1 the minister said he had a meeting with the outgoing libyan ambassador to nigeria dr attai alkhoder who promised his countrys cooperation to ensure the release of nigerians in the slave camps1 he said the federal government was working relentlessly to ensure that all nigerians in libya slave camps were repatriated safely to the country1 i met with the libyan ambassador who promised to cooperate on the issue of migrants i let him know that we appreciate what the libya is doing1 we agreed on way forward that the libya government will continue to help us to access those camps where there are still nigerians outside the control of the libyan government he said1 onyeama stressed that the efforts required negotiations with the militia groups who were in control of the camps1 the federal government says it is working with libyan authority to negotiate the release of all nigerians in libya slave camps and ensure their repatriation safely to the country1 there is an instance that it has to be negotiated down to 2500 dollars per camp to get nigerians out. there is another camp that we have to negotiate around that figure also he said1 the minister however said that not all nigerians in libya were irregular migrants adding that there were some who were living legally in libya1 there are nigerians who are actually in libya legally and are doing their legitimate jobs and we have some of them who are actually useful in helping us to look for nigerians in the country he said1 the minister said that nigeria would want to work towards ensuring that peace returned to libya by ensuring that that country has a central government and police central authority1 when a central authority is in control that is when it will be easier to relate with the country and address some of the problems they are having with regards to irregular migrants he said1 onyeama said the outgoing ambassador assured that he would support nigeria in ensuring that irregular migrants were safely repatriated1 we have been given some amount that we have to pay to those rebels before we can get our people out but it has not been easy1