Governments of the UK, US yesterday airlifted 886 of their nationals from Nigeria through the international wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
While the UK evacuated 546 from Abuja and Lagos, the US airlifted 340 from the Lagos bringing the total to 886.
While a British Airways Boeing 747 aircraft airlifted 301 passengers and 14 crew from the Lagos Airport, 245 passengers were evacuated from Abuja Airport
Speaking at the Abuja airport while coordinating the operation, the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Ms. Catriona Laing, expressed appreciation to the federal government for assistance in the evacuation.
“To be eligible for all flights, primary residence has to be in the UK and that the embassy prioritised helping the most vulnerable and those who have an underlying medical condition, placing them at greater risk of serious illness if they contact COVID-19.
“I want to say thank you to the government of Nigeria for all the support they have given us. I particularly want to thank the ministry of foreign affairs and the ministry of aviation, the Federal Capital Territory and the Lagos State government.
“It has been a really challenging process because we have had thousands of British citizens overseas wanting to get back and I appreciate my team that has worked tirelessly to put this together.
“For these first few flights, we have been prioritising vulnerable British citizens who are at risk of contracting COVID19, the elderly, the disabled and those with children.
“There will be more flights coming to Lagos. I urge more people to book because the more people book, the better chances we have when we make a case to London for more flights. Many of the passengers I spoke to have Nigerian-British heritage, so we are seeing the best of both worlds,” she said.
