Nigeria will commence airlifting of first batch of 364 stranded Nigerians from Ukraine back to the country, today.
This follows the approval of $8.5 million for immediate evacuation of over 5,000 Nigerians that flee the Russia, Ukrainian war to Poland, Romania, Hungary and Slovakia by President Muhammadu Buhari
The airline and Max Air have been contracted by the Federal Government to bring back about 2090 stranded Nigerians, who have fled from war-torn Ukraine to neighbouring countries back to Nigeria.
Briefing State House correspondents at the end of the virtual Federal Executive Council, FEC, meeting presided over by Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, at the Council Chamber, Presidential Villa, Abuja, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Zubairu Dada, flanked by the Minister of Humanitarian, Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouk, said the approval came after a joint memo presented by Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development at the council meeting.
Dada said Air Peace and Max Air airlines have been contracted to provide three aircrafts that will run many shifts as possible to facilitate the evacuation, noting that those to be evacuated include 940 from Romania, 150 from Slovakia and 350 from Poland, who have registered for evacuation.
“The Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs wrote a memo to the president seeking funding to enable us conduct this exercise. The memo was in the tune of $8.5 million which Mr. President has graciously approved. That provision entails arrangement to evacuate not less than 5,000 Nigerians.
“Whatever happens, you can be rest assured we are going to run any number of shifts it will involve. Don’t forget it will also involve taking care of those Nigerians that may decide not to come back. It also includes some assistance for the feeding that may have been done by the missions under whatever arrangements. Even the missions themselves are also in dire situations. So it’s a whole gambit of activities that are involved.
”On whether the amount will be released immediately for the exercise, the minister said: “That is why the evacuation flights will begin today (Wednesday).”
On students trapped in Ukrainian cities now in the hands of Russians, he said; “We want to believe the Russian armed forces will obey the rules of engagement. They know the rules about civilians that are caught up in situations such as this. We want to assume they will respect international laws and ensure that no harm comes to them.
“Don’t forget that even our mission in Ukraine has had to be evacuated. So, if for any reason any Nigerian is left behind, we are very prayerful, we are very hopeful that no harm shall come to them once, of course, they are in some shelters or whatever place they are hiding.
“Don’t forget we had also summoned both the Russian and Ukrainian ambassadors to our ministry, and we did emphasis the need for their troops to ensure that they do not do anything that will harm the lives of innocent citizens.
