542 Nigerians Stranded In UAE Arrives Abuja
A total of 542 stranded Nigerians in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) evacuated back home by the Federal Government arrived at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja on board Maxair charted flight on Sunday at 4:29 am.
According to a press release on Sunday, 24th October 2022 signed by NEMA’s head of the Media and Public Relations Unit, Manzo Ezekiel, he said that evacuees consisted of 79 males, 460 females, and 3 infants.
They were received by a Federal Government team led by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and airport officials, security agencies including National Commission for Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), NAPTIP, Nigerian Diaspora Commission, NDLEA, Nigerian Correctional Service, Nigerian Customs Service, Port Health Services, NCDC and others.
R-L Nigeria’s Consul General in Dubai Amb Atinuke Taibat Mohammed, Director Finance and Accounts National Emergency Management Agency Alhaji Sani Ahmed Jiba, and Director Search and Rescue (NEMA) Air Commodore Edward Adedokun at the reception of stranded Nigerians evacuated by the Federal Government from Dubai as they arrived Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja today
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.
Earlier, Director General NEMA Mustapha Habib Ahmed who officially received the returnees on behalf of the Federal Government admonished them to learn from their experiences and be law-abiding citizens that promote economic growth and a positive image of Nigeria.
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 the movement of the returnees back to their homes.
In her remarks, the Consul General of Nigeria in Dubai Ambassador Atinuke Taibat Mohammed who 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.