By Okon Bassey in Uyo
Ten Libyan returnees of Akwa Ibom State origin have been released by state government to reunite with their families at the community level.
The state government urged that they should quickly settle into meaningful living, integrate themselves into the society and also find ways of making meaningful contributions to the state.
Sending off the 10 indigenes of the state who were among the Nigerian citizens brought back from Libya by the federal government last month, the Deputy Governor of the state, Mr. Moses F. Ekpo, told them that there are opportunities everywhere in the state.
He noted that today’s Akwa Ibom held more job prospects and business opportunities to people who are willing to use their creative talents positively; adding that it was morally depressing for young people to embark on a misadventure to foreign lands whose economic fortunes were worse than Nigeria’s.
Ekpo further used the occasion to call on public-spirited individuals to assist them to settle down by offering them some economic empowerment facilities.
 The Permanent Secretary of the Deputy Governor’s office, Mr. Nkopuruk Ekaiko, who represented the deputy governor, said the occasion was to formally send the returnees to their different communities.
He noted that the event represented one of the last stages of their full reintegration into the society which began with their reception at the Port Harcourt international airport on January 9 and 16.
He disclosed that the returnees have successfully gone through the process of de-briefing, screening and profiling as well as thorough medical treatments courtesy of the state government.
The permanent secretary further noted that as a responsive and responsible government, the state indigenes have also been presented with relief materials such as blankets/clothings, toiletries, mosquito nets and other essential items while one of the returnees who is a seamstress was presented with a sewing machine.
However, he said one of the female returnees who came back sick, was still receiving medical attention in the hospital.
