The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), on behalf of the Federal Government, has evacuated 191 stranded Nigerians from India.
Nigerians Evacuated From India
The returnees, who arrived at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja on Friday 16th December, were given a token of hundred US Dollars or equivalent for transportation to their various homes.
An Ethiopian Airlines charted flight that conveyed the returnees touched down at the Abuja airport at 4.40 pm as they were received by a reception team led by NEMA and other relevant agencies.
A statement by the Head of Press Unit of NEMA, Manzo Ezekiel, said the returnees were given $100 or its equivalent for transportation to their various homes after they were profiled and screened
The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development, Sadiya Farouq who welcomed them on behalf of the federal government said the token was meant to support their movement home.
The Minister who was represented by a Deputy Director in the ministry, Dr. Suleiman Abubakar urged them to be law-abiding.
The Director General NEMA, Mustapha Ahmed also advised the returnees to learn from their experiences and be law-abiding citizens.
Ahmed who was represented by the Deputy Director in charge of Search and Rescue, Ishaya Chonoko explained that the federal government approved their evacuation to ease the suffering of Nigerians stranded abroad.
Among officials that received the returnees were staff of airport agencies, military, Nigeria Police Force, Nigerian Immigration Service, National Commission for Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), NAPTIP, Nigerian Diaspora Commission, NDLEA, Nigerian Correctional Service, Nigerian Customs Service, and Port Health Services.