Coronavirus: Nigerians in UK, US, China registering for evacuation — NIDCOM
The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission has
disclosed that many Nigerians in the United Kingdom, United States,
China and in West Africa have been registering with the Nigerian
missions abroad for evacuation to Nigeria.
The commission said many interested
individuals were willing to return home on account of the coronavirus
pandemic, noting that their response had been overwhelming.
The NIDCOM spokesman, Abdul-Rahman
Balogun, confirmed to our correspondent in Abuja on Monday that those
registering for evacuation were ready to foot their flight expenses.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs had
last Friday directed Nigerian missions abroad to compile a list of
stranded Nigerian nationals who wished to come back home.
It stated that the financial
implications would be borne by the prospective evacuees, who would also
be compulsorily quarantined on arrival.
In response to the directive, the
Nigerian Consulate in New York, United States, announced in a statement
on Sunday, that it had begun compiling names of Nigerians willing to
return home.
Providing an update on the exercise,
Balogun explained that some of the stranded Nigerians agreed to be
quarantined on arrival in Nigeria, adding that they were also willing to
bear the travel cost.
He said, “Nigerians are responding
overwhelmingly from China, UK, US and also from West Africa. We can’t
quote a figure because the registration is still ongoing.”
Balogun noted that the commission had
been receiving emails from other interested Nigerians overseas about the
modalities for the evacuation.
He added, “A lot of people have been
sending emails to us. The response has been overwhelming. Some said they
were ready to be quarantined on their return to the country; they are
ready to pay for the evacuation. Some also have their air tickets but
they could not come before the lockdown order was implemented.”
Speaking on the registration of
Nigerians overseas during a briefing by the Presidential Task force for
the Control of Covid-19 on Monday, the Minister of Foreign Affairs,
Geoffrey Onyeama, said the government would work out the evacuation
logistics after the exercise.
He advised Nigerians abroad to stay
where they were, citing an advisory by medical experts who warned that
travellers were susceptible to Covid-19 infection.
He stated, “We have written letters to
our embassies to give us an indication of the number in their countries
and once we have that, we would be able to look at the issue of
logistics and how to bring them back.
“We should also bear in mind that
the medical people have said that it’s better to stay where you are if
you can but you stand a much better chance of catching the virus if you
are travelling up and down.”
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