The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) has said another flight with a batch of evacuees is expected on Sunday, with a conclusion ongoing on necessary clearance for take off.
This is contained in a statement by Mr Abdur-Rahman Balogun, Head of Media, Public Relations and Protocols, NiDCOM on Saturday.
JOINT PRESS RELEASE FROM THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS (MFA) AND THE
FEDERAL MINISTRY OF HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS, DISASTER MANAGEMENT AND
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT (FMHADMSD) ON NIGERIANS IN SUDAN: EVACUATION UPDATE
Issued at Abuja, Nigeria on 6th May, 2023 https://t.co/ubNIuPHgto pic.twitter.com/2ZM9CRkSnM— Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs (@FMHDSD) May 6, 2023
Photo:
Max Air and Azman are airborne and are expected to arrive in Abuja at 10 am today, Sunday 7 May 2023 with over 700 passengers.
Thank you to the NiDCOM, NEMA team, and the Immigration Attaché on frame 4 that has been working with the Nigeria Mission in Egypt and Sudan. pic.twitter.com/IeJP8QANgM
— Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (@nidcom_gov) May 7, 2023
Balogun said this was part of the highlights of the inter-ministerial briefing on the return of the fourth batch of evacuees from Sudan at the Hajj Terminal of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport.
The 131 evacuees comprised 123 adults and eight infants aboard Tarco Aircraft: B737-300 from Port Sudan International Airport, arrived at 2.35p.m in Abuja.
The evacuees were, however, assured that no Nigerian would be left behind.
Those who received them included Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman NiDCOM, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Dr Sani Gwarzo, and the Representative of Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Mustapha Habeeb.
Others included Mr Mustapha Habib Ahmed, Director-General National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Representative of Refugees Commissioner, Mrs Iman Ibrahim, and other stakeholders.
They provided logistics support like Nigeria Immigration Service, Dangote Foundation, MTN, and Hajia Asmau Yerima Mohammed, representing the Association of Parents and Guardians of Students in Sudan.
According to the statement, President Muhammadu Buhari gave the committee the necessary support to bring back any willing Nigerians.
The committee also reiterated that there was no ethnic segregation as speculated in some quarters and it remained focused on its mandate.
Moreover, post-trauma counselling and psycho-social treatment were announced again.
The post-trauma counselling and psychosocial treatment are planned by NiDCOM, with the Ministry of Health, and Refugees Commission in partnership with the Aliko Dangote Foundation.
In line with the traditional support laid down, each of the returnees was given N100,000 and a bag courtesy of the Dangote Foundation while MTN was supported with a SIM pack and call credit of N25,000 and 1.5 gigabytes of data.
The NEMA and the Refugees Commission provided transportation and hotel accommodation for those whose families were not in Abuja until they reunited with their respective families.
The committee also assured them that there were plans to secure placement for them to continue with their education in their respective courses in Nigeria with the support of the Ministry of Education.
NAN
