Alhaji Muhammad Sidi, Director General, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said on Wednesday that 41 Nigerians deported from the United Kingdom for various immigration offences had arrived the country.

He confirmed the development in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), while receiving the deportees at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMlA) Lagos.

Sidi added that the 33 adult males and eight female deportees arrived the country aboard a chartered aircraft at about 8: 00 a.m.

“From the manifest with me, 41 Nigerians are on board and according to the British High Commission in Nigeria, they were deported because they committed various immigration offences.

“As a responsible government, we cannot just leave our citizens to enter the country without giving them a good welcome.

“Also, we want to let them know that the country they left years ago, is different from what they are returning to.’’

He stressed that Nigeria had moved ahead since the deportees left the country, adding that everybody has equal opportunities under the present government.

Sidi, who was represented by Dr Onimode Bandele, the Deputy Director, Search and Rescue in the agency, advised Nigerians to stay in the country and develop it. He, however, said that some stipends would be given to the deportees, to facilitate their transportation to their various destinations.

Other agencies who were at the airport to receive the deportees included officials of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, the Nigeria Customs Service, the Nigerian Police Force and the Nigeria Immigration Service.