COVID-19: 160 stranded Nigerians depart US for Abuja

The first batch of Nigerians stranded in the United States due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is on their way back home.

It is the third batch of Nigerians to have been evacuated as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The second batch of 253 Nigerians evacuated from the United Kingdom arrived the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos on May 8.

It came 48 hours after the first batch from Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) were brought into the country by Emirates Airlines.

Also, around to bid the evacuees farewell was Amb. Tijani Muhammad-Bande, President of the United Nations General Assembly and Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the UN.

He was joined by Amb. Samson Itegboje, the Deputy Permanent Representative of Nigeria to the UN, among others.

Speaking to newsmen, Okoyen lauded the evacuees for their cooperation and orderly conduct throughout the process.

“It was successful and we are happy that everything was orderly. As you must have observed, the boarding was also orderly,” he said.

Some of the passengers, who spoke to NAN, expressed gratitude to the Federal Government for the special flight arrangement.