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Aidoghie Paulinus, Abuja
The Federal Government, at the weekend, evacuated a total number of 692 Nigerians to the country.
The 692 Nigerians were evacuated from France (22), Cyprus (212), United States (324), and Sudan (134).
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, disclosed the airlift of 22 Nigerians from Paris, France, on his Twitter handle, @GeoffreyOnyeama.
Onyeama said some of the evacuees were Nigerians in France, Hungary, Romania, Poland, Norway, Germany, Holland, the United Kingdom and Canada.
Onyeama further said the 22 Nigerians would arrive at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
The minister disclosed that a total number of 93 Nigerians in Europe have been repatriated so far in the evacuation exercise coordinated by the Embassy of Nigeria in France, in cooperation with the Nigerian Missions in Germany, Belgium, Holland and Hungary.
“@AirFrance conveying 22 Nigerian evacuees from #Paris, has departed for Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja. The flight is expected to arrive Abuja at 14:40 pm local time today, 19th July, 2020.
“Some of the evacuees are Nigerians in France, Hungary, Romania, Poland, Norway, Germany, Holland, UK and Canada. All passengers tested negative before boarding.
“So far, a total of 93 Nigerians in Europe have been repatriated in the evacuation exercise coordinated by the Embassy of Nigeria in France, in cooperation with our Missions in #Germany, #Belgium, #Holland and #Hungary,” Onyeama said.
Earlier during the weekend, Onyeama disclosed the evacuation of 212 Nigerians from Cyprus aboard Turkish Airlines which arrived the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, at 15:05pm on Saturday.
Onyeama said some of the evacuees were Nigerian students from Cyprus, Nigerian professionals in Turkey and few Nigerian professional footballers.
In like manner, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, at the weekend, disclosed the third evacuation flight from the United States which departed Newark, New Jersey, to Abuja with 324 Nigerians.
The minister added that two more evacuation flights were expected from the US to Abuja and Lagos on the 28th and 31st of July, 2020.
On its part, the Nigerians in the Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), yesterday, announced on its Twitter handle, @nidcom_gov, the arrival of 134 Nigerians from Sudan.
“134 Nigerians arrive Nnamdi Azikiwe Int’l Airport, Abuja at about 10 am local time via Air Sudan today, Sunday, 19th July 2020.
“The 134 evacuees tested negative to #coronavirus before departed Khartoum today.
“All Evacuees will now proceed on 14 days SELF-ISOLATION as mandated by @NCDCgov, @Fmohnigeria and PTF on #COVID-19,” NIDCOM said.
