Evacuees on arrival at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja on Friday
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A total of 191 stranded Nigerians in India have been evacuated back home by the Federal Government . They arrived Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja on Friday 16th December 2022.
The returnees were evacuated by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) on behalf of the Federal Government.
The returnees were conveyed in an Ethiopian Airlines chartered flight that landed the Abuja airport at 4.40pm. They were received by a team led by NEMA and other relevant agencies, who made sure they were fed and accurately profiled.
Addressing the returnees, the Honorable Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq welcomed them on behalf of the Federal Government.
The Minister who was represented by a Deputy Director in the ministry, Dr Suleiman Abubakar admonished them to be law abiding citizens. He said a token of 100 dollars each which was provided for them by the Federal Government was meant to support their transportation to their various destinations.
Director General, NEMA, Mustapha Habib Ahmed, also, in his remarks, advised the returnees to learn from their experiences and be law abiding citizens.
The NEMA DG, who was represented by the Deputy Director Search and Rescue, Ishaya Isa chonoko, said the Federal Government had approved the evacuation to ease the suffering of Nigerians stranded abroad to bring them back home safely.
Speaking on behalf of other returnees, Iwuchukwu Gospel appreciated the Federal Government for the special intervention in their safe evacuation back home.
“We thank the government for bringing us back, although I went to India three months ago, I realised Nigeria is better than where we’ve just been evacuated from.
“I’m pleading with the Federal Government of Nigeria to help facilitate the evacuation of other Nigerians stranded in India because they are suffering,” he said.
The returnees were received by NEMA, Military, Nigerian Police, Nigerian Immigration Service, National Commission for Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), NAPTIP, Nigerian Diaspora Commission, NDLEA, Nigerian Correctional Service, Nigerian Customs service, Port Health Services, NCDC amongst others.
