The first batch of Nigerians stranded abroad amid the coronavirus pandemic have been successfully evacuated by the Federal Government.
256 Nigerians arrived in Lagos on Wednesday from Dubai on an Emirates Airline flight.
The Emirates flight is expected to be the first of at least two other flights scheduled to evacuate Nigerians within the next few days.
According to the foreign ministry, discussions are ongoing with British Airways to airlift 300 Nigerians from London on Friday; arrangements are also being made with Ethiopian airlines for a flight from New York to Abuja next Monday.
There are over 4,000 Nigerians across the world waiting to be evacuated back home, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama said.
The returning Nigerians will proceed to selected locations for compulsory isolation. All 256 returnees tested negative for Covid19 before boarding from Dubai.
The quarantine is required to ensure the coronavirus-status of every returnee is ascertained.
The Nigerian government says plans are in place to evacuate more citizens from the United States and the United Kingdom within the next few days.
The foreign ministry said it has made arrangements for hotel accommodations in Lagos and Abuja, which will be used to quarantine the incoming citizens and the hotels have been inspected by Port Health Services, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, Office of the National Security Adviser, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and IPC.
Source- Channels Television
Image- Channels Television
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