The Nigerian Government has evacuated 542 stranded citizens from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) back home.
The evacuees comprising 79 males, 460 females and 3 infants arrived at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, the nation’s capital on board Max Air charted flight on Sunday morning at 4:29 am.
BREAKING NEWS.
EVACUATION:
A total of 542 stranded Nigerians in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) evacuated by the Federal Government arrived Nnamdi Azikiwe Int'l Airport Abuja on board the @MaxAirLtd Charted flight.The plane touched down at 4:29 am today 23/10/2022.#Thread pic.twitter.com/y0g9vR6lHZ
— Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (@nidcom_gov) October 23, 2022
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), airport officials, security agencies including the National Commission for Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Nigerian Correctional Service, Nigerian Customs Service and the Port Health Services received the evacuees in Abuja.
On arrival, they were screened and profiled by the Health officials, cleared by Nigerian Immigration Service and given monetary assistance before their final departure to their respective destinations.
The Director General of NEMA, Mustapha Habib Ahmed who officially received the returnees on behalf of the Federal Government admonished them to learn from their experiences and be law-abiding citizens to promote economic growth and positive image of Nigeria.
Ahmed who was represented by the Director of Finance and Accounts, Sani Jiba said the Nigerian Government approved the evacuation and provision of monetary assistance to support the movement of the returnees back to their respective homes.
The Consular General of Nigeria in Dubai, Ambassador Atinuke Mohammed who accompanied the returnees on the flight appreciated the Federal Government for the special intervention and safe evacuation of the stranded citizens back home.
The flight from Dubai is the first following the recent approval by the Federal Government to evacuate stranded Nigerians from the UAE and India.
It would be recalled the nation’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs worked with the UAE authorities to assist Nigerians stranded in the country for various reasons, ranging from overstay, lost passports, lack of documentation especially in the case of infants, to pending cases with the Emirati Police.
PIAK
