A group of Sierra Leoneans numbering about 750 are currently stranded at an IOM (International Organization for Migration) managed-camp in Agadez, Republic of Niger.
According to their spokesman, Musa Alie Sesay, they have children and women amongst them in the camp and they are going through some serious healthcare challenges.
He confirmed that they have been processed by IOM officials and are ready to be repatriated to Sierra Leone. โThe only problem we have is that, the Sierra Leone Government has refused to give the go-ahead to IOM officials here in Niamey to enable us to leave the country and return to Sierra LeoneโฆWe have all been thoroughly vettedโฆWe are Sierra Leoneans who fled our country for greener pastureโฆSome of us got arrested in Libya, Morocco and Algeria, and sent back to Niger, where we had settled before embarking on the dangerous crossing in small boats.
They appealed to the Government of Sierra Leone through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation in Freetown to expedite the process of repatriating them to Sierra Leone.
