The first batch of Nigerian evacuees from Ukraine has arrived in Abuja.
This is according to an update by the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) on its Twitter handle.
VIDEO:
EVACUATION:First Batch of Nigerians from #Ukraine arrive Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport Abuja from Romania at 7:10 am.@NigeriaGov @abikedabiri @toluogunlesi @MobilePunch @LeadershipNGA @nannews_ng @NTANewsNow @APCUKingdom @thecableng #NigeriansInUkraine #Ukraine pic.twitter.com/iGWKdXCzq9
— Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (@nidcom_gov) March 4, 2022
The passengers, numbering 416 from Romania, landed at the private jet terminal of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport at about 7:10 am (WAT) on Friday. They are mostly students who fled Ukraine into Romania following Russia’s invasion of the Eastern European country.
They were met by government officials and are expected to undergo documentation before returning home and self-isolating in accordance with COVID-19 protocols. The Federal Government has stated that they will be given money to help them get to their destinations.
Friday’s flight, which was supposed to arrive the day before, was delayed due to a hiccup in preparing passengers for the check-in process, according to the Federal Government.
Aside from Romania, Nigerians will be evacuated from Poland, Slovakia, and Hungary via pickup flights.
Officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs previously stated that approximately 5,000 Nigerians are eligible for evacuation from the conflict zone. The exercise will cost the country $8.5 million.
Other flights are expected to arrive in the country in the coming days as nations battle to evacuate their citizens.
Already, several African countries had moved their citizens, mainly students, from the conflict zone. Ghana, Zimbabwe, and South Africa were among the first set of nations to evacuate their citizens amid reports of racism by Ukrainian and Polish officials at the border posts.
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