Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja
The federal government has said it has evacuated 6,317 stranded Nigerians from various countries in four months since the COVID-19 that is ravaging the world started.
The Chairman of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, disclosed this yesterday, while addressing a press conference ahead of the 2020 National Diaspora Day celebrations.
She said NIDCOM has made some commendable achievements in the past one year.
Dabiri-Erewa said that as COVID-19 is still on rampage, NIDCOM, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Nigerian Missions around the world have evacuated and would still evacuate stranded Nigerians anywhere in the world.
Giving the breakdown of the evacuation so far, she said 806 stranded Nigerians were evacuated in three batches from the United States, 831 also in three batches from United Kingdom, 177 from Saudi Arabia, 372 from Egypt.
Dabiri-Erewa added that federal government also evacuated stranded Nigerians from France , 70; India -three batches ; 540, Dubai (five batches), 1,405; Turkey (two batches), 324; Sudan (three batches), 365; Uganda and Kenya – 172; Senegal, 17.
Also, others stranded Nigerians were evacuated from Pakistan, 56; Egypt – 102; China, 268; Malaysia andThailand 247; Lebanon, 147; Canada, 51; South Africa, 324 and Ghana- 205.
She said that with the support of Air Peace, there has been multiple evacuations from some countries and other African Countries.
Dabiri-Erewa recalled that the commission received the first and second batches of stranded Nigerians back home in Lagos on September 11, 2019 and September 18, 2019.
She added that a total of 501 returnees consisting of 187 and 314 Nigerians respectively.
According to her, “They received SIM Cards worth of
N40,000 airtime plus 9GB of data valid for two months, as well as, a soft loan from the Bank of Industry to support those interested in small trade and businesses.
