386 Nigerians have been returned to the country from the United Arab Emirates and Lebanon as part of the government’s efforts to assist stranded nationals abroad in the wake of COVID-19 travel restrictions.
The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), in a tweet via its official handle on Wednesday, said 292 Nigerians were evacuated from the UAE, making the total number of evacuees from the Arab country rise to 2,933.
BREAKING NEWS:
EVACUATION UPDATE:@emirates flight with 292 Evacuees arrived Nnamdi Azikiwe Int’l Airport, Abuja at about 1430HRS from the United Arab Emirates, today Wednesday, 12th of August, 2020 bringing the total number of evacuees from the UAE to 2,933
1/2. pic.twitter.com/hNrFu6BLlK— Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (@nidcom_gov) August 12, 2020
According to NIDCOM, the evacuees arrived at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, at 02:30 p.m. on board an Emirates flight.
All evacuees tested Negative to #COVID__19 and will now proceed on a 14-day SELF-ISOLATION as mandated by @NCDCgov, @Fmohnigeria, and Presidential Task Force on #COVID-19.@NigeriaGov @DigiCommsNG.
2/2. pic.twitter.com/EGPUAfnyD1— Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (@nidcom_gov) August 12, 2020
Also, 94 Nigerian girls, many of who are believed to have been trafficked to Lebanon and had appeared in a viral video asking for government’s help, were among those evacuated on Wednesday.
Read Also: FG Rescues 30 Ladies In Viral Video Stranded In Lebanon
They arrived at Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos from Lebanon.
VIDEO:
EVACUATION UPDATE:94 out of 150 Stranded Nigeria Girls arrive Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos from Lebanon today Wednesday, 12th of August, 2020.
They have all proceeded on a 14 day SELF ISOLATION as madanted by @NCDCgov and PTF on #Covid_19.@NigeriaGov pic.twitter.com/g5AeYnrwSJ
— Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (@nidcom_gov) August 12, 2020
Receiving the stranded ladies at the airport, the Chairman of NiDCOM, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, commended the efforts of actors that contributed to the successful repatriation of the ladies.
On hand to welcome home 94 Nigerians stranded in Lebanon for months . A big thank you to the Lebaneese Amb to Nigeria, the Nigerian Mission in Lebanon, the Lebaneese Community in Nigeria for making this possible Nema is handling their logistics . More returning soon pic.twitter.com/L7dIadVnkJ
— Abike Dabiri-Erewa (@abikedabiri) August 12, 2020
See photos of evacuees arriving Nigeria and being received by NiDCOM officials below;
