By Wilson Adekumola
The first batch of 376 stranded Nigerian students expected from war-ravaged Sudan has arrived in Abuja, Nigeria Wednesday.
It was gathered that the Nigerian students arrived at the Pilgrims Terminal of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, at 11:25 pm through the Air Peace Plane and the Nigeria Airforce Jet with the number NAF C-130.
The first batch of students was evacuated from the Aswan border of Egypt.
The officials in attendance to receive the returnees were the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Sadiya Umar Farouq, the Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, the Director General of National Emergency Management Agency among others.
While speaking shortly after their arrival, Farouq announced the donation of a N100,000 stipend to each of the returnees courtesy of Dangote Foundation, while MTN Foundation doled out recharge cards worth N25,000 to each of the returnees.
She explained that the N100,000 stipend donated by Dangote Foundation was to take care of the returnees transport fare to travel to their various destinations with ease.
The Sudanese Ambassador to Nigeria, Mohammad Yusuf also said the situation in his country would soon be under control.
The Director-General, National Emergency Management Agency, Mustapha Ahmed, said that four more flights carrying Nigerians from Sudan are expected in Nigeria on Thursday.
“The situation in Sudan is real and terrible but we pray for peace to return to that country. I’m happy our people have started coming back.
“We’re expecting about four flights tomorrow – three from Port Sudan and one from Aswan. So it’s a process that has started and the tempo will keep on increasing,” he said.
