First batch of Nigerians arrive from Ukraine

The passengers, numbering about 450 from Romania, landed at the private jet terminal of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport by 7:10 am (WAT) via a Max Air flight on Friday. They are mostly students who fled Ukraine to Romania following Russia’s invasion of the Eastern European country.

They were received by government officials and are expected to undergo documentation after which they will head home and self-isolate in line with the COVID-19 protocols. The Federal Government said they will be given some money to enable them to get to their destinations.

Friday’s flight, which was billed to arrive a day earlier, was delayed as the Federal Government cited a hitch in preparing passengers for the check-in process.

Asides from Romania, the pickup flights will evacuate Nigerians from Poland, Slovakia, and Hungary.

Officials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had earlier said about 5, 000 Nigerians are eligible for evacuation from the warring region. The country will spend $8.5m on the exercise.

Already, several African countries had moved their citizens, mainly students, from the conflict zone. Ghana, Zimbabwe, and South Africa were among the first set of nations to evacuate their citizens amid reports of racism by Ukrainian and Polish officials at the border posts.

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