FG evacuates 542 stranded Nigerians from UAE

No fewer than 542 stranded Nigerians have been evacuated from the United Arab Emirates back to the country by the Federal Government on Sunday.

The National Emergency Management Agency welcomed the evacuees made up of 79 males, 460 females and three infants at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja, the nation’s capital.

“A total of 542 stranded Nigerians in the UAE evacuated back home by the Federal Government arrived at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja on board Maxair charted flight on Sunday morning at 4:29am. The evacuees consisted of 79 males, 460 females and 3 infants.

“They were received by Federal Government team led by NEMA, airport officials, security agencies, the Nigeria Immigration Service, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Nigerian Customs, NSCDC, the police, Port Health Services, amongst others”

“On arrival, the returnees were screened by the Health officials, profiled by various relevant agencies and cleared by the Nigerian Immigration Service before being given a token of transport fare by NEMA before leaving the airport,” NEMA said.

Earlier, the NEMA Director-General, Mustapha Habib Ahmed, who officially received the returnees on behalf of the Federal Government admonished them to learn from their unpleasant experiences and be law-abiding, look inward towards supporting Nigeria’s economy and global positive image.

The NEMA boss, who was represented by the Director of Finance and Accounts Alhaji Sani Ahmed Jiba said the Federal Government had approved the evacuation and provision of the token for the returnees to support their local movement back home.

In her remark, the Consul General of Nigeria in Dubai Amb Atinuke Taibat Mohammed who coordinated and accompanied the returnees back on the flight appreciated the Federal Government for the special intervention in the safe evacuation of the stranded citizens back home.