The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) said 1,730 Nigerians have returned from Sudan, with the latest flight from Port Sudan with 146 evacuees aboard Tarco Airline.
Mr Abdur-Rahman Balogun, Head, Media, Public Relations and Protocols Unit, NiDCOM, stated yesterday that the aeroplane landed at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Anuja, at 10:05 a.m.
On Monday, NiDCOM announced on its official Twitter account that 129 nationals, also aboard Tarco Airline, arrived at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja at 9:25 a.m.
“The 8th batch of evacuees: 129 nationals who departed Port Sudan International Airport landed at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport around 9:25am local time, on May 8, via Tarco Air. Making a total of 1,600 evacuees, so far.”
Balogun also gave an update on the returnees so far. He said on May 3, 102 evacuees boarded the NAF C130, and 274 boarded Air Peace from Aswan Airport. He also said on May 5, 130 Nigerians boarded Tarco Airline, and on Saturday 131, they boarded the same airline from Port Sudan.
Also, on Sunday, 102 boarded Tarco Airline from Port Sudan. He further said 410 Nigerians boarded Max Air, and 322 boarded Azman Air, both flights from Aswan Airport, on Sunday.
Furthermore, he said two flights from Tarco Airline boarded 133 and 126 from Port Sudan, on Monday and Tuesday, respectively. That, he said, summed up the total of 1,730.
Meanwhile, Chairman, NiDCOM, Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa, said Air Peace now had a landing permit to convey all Nigerians from Sudan.
“Air Peace now has a landing permit and, so, a bigger plane would solve the problem. I took up the issue of favouritism with the ambassador and he denied it vehemently. These are anxious moments. The key thing is all have been moved out of danger.
“Everyone will return, and we shall all celebrate the full return. But, for sure, when all this is over, I can categorically beat my chest that no country has done what Nigeria has done for its citizens.”
Dabiri-Erewa also asked parents whose children had returned to send pictures of reunification.