BY LEVI JOHNSON
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Geoffrey Onyeama, said that the Federal Government has evacuated another batch of 65 Nigerians stranded in some Europe and Pakistan.
Onyeama made this disclosure in a tweet, adding that 50 of the evacuees came in from Pakistan while 15 are from five different European nations of Belgium, France, Germany, Holland and Estonia.
A source at the Nnamdi Azikwe airport said the evacuees from Pakistan arrived around 1 am on Friday.
Onyeama said in a tweet: “Air France flight departed Paris to Lagos today (Thursday, June 18, 2020) and there were 15 Nigerians on board from France, Germany, Belgium, Holland and Estonia who had registered for the evacuation with the Nigerian Missions in these countries.”
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Onyeama said: “An aircraft conveying 50 of our nationals stranded in Oakistan and one Pakistani national departed Islamabad International Airport at about 16.05 hours (4.05 pm) local time.
“It is expected to arrive at Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja at 3.00 am on Friday, June 19, 2020. ”
The latest arrival brings to 1,588 Nigerians that have been evacuated since the global lockdown occasioned by COVID-19 pandemic.
1,523 Nigerians had been evacuated as of June 13, 2020.
There are over 4,000 Nigerians stranded in various countries across the globe.
The Federal Government had set a maximum of four weeks to complete its evacuation.
The Presidential Taskforce (PTF) said it will evacuate 1000 weekly.
According to PTF Coordinator, Dr Sani Aliyu, 500 of the evacuees would be landing in Abuja and the other 500 would land in Lagos.
He said they will be coming in under the new evacuation protocol which demands a pre-evacuation test.
