The first batch of Nigerian evacuees from the crisis-ridden Sudan, numbering 376 arrived at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja in the early hours of Thursday aboard Air Peace and Nigeria Air Force aircraft.
The minister of humanitarian affairs, disaster management and social development, Mrs. Sadiya Umar-Farouq told journalists that Air Peace conveyed 282 persons while NAF ferried 94.
“Today, we have received the first batch of the evacuees. The C130 aircraft of NAF brought about 94 of them while the Air Peace which I commend and appreciate the Chairman/CEO for the support and bringing back our nationals. They brought back about 282 Nigerians.
“They will be in the hall and they will go through a process of profiling and after which they will go through the immigration and they will be given their dignity packs for them to get back to their respective destinations. Some of them, their family members are here to receive them while others would be under our care until they get to their families,” she said.
The minister also disclosed that each of the returnees would receive the sum of f N100, 000 in addition to N25, 000 worth of recharge cards and 1.5 gigabytes of data.
“Today, we are very happy to receive them. They have gone through a very traumatic period but we give thanks to Almighty Allah that all of them are back safely. No life was lost which is the most important thing. All the efforts put in place were not in vain. I thank every member of the Committee that has put all efforts to ensure that these people are brought back safely and with dignity. We thank the transport companies for their support.
“There is N100,000 that would transport them back to their families which is supported by the Dangote Foundation by giving them the transportation fare as well as the dignity kits and also 25,000 recharge cards from MTN and 1.5 GB data courtesy of MTN. All efforts have been put in place and everyone has contributed to ensuring that at least these Nigerians have some comfort when they return home,” she added.
She said the returnees were airlifted from Egypt.
“This war is in Sudan, but we move them to Egypt and we had to get clearance from the Egyptian authority,”
“The situation in Sudan is very pathetic and as Nigerians we should continue to pray for peace in our country,”
“War is not a good thing. People went to study and they became refugees all of a sudden. It is an international crisis and also a humanitarian crisis as people had no food, water, or where to go.
“Nigerians should pray for peace and also not experience this kind of situation,” the minister said.
