Nigeria engages two airlines to evacuate nationals from Britain, America

Nigeria has appointed two airlines to evacuate about 2,000 Nigerians who have indicated interest to leave UK, US and other European countries that are bogged by novel coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Godfrey Onyeama, confirmed on April 16, and explained that the ministry had already contacted all embassies abroad which collated the names.

He said that the National Emergency Management Agency (Nema) and the Ministry of Health would be part of the engagement.

“We are in touch with our various embassies around the world and we are already collating names. We have also selected the two airlines that will be responsible for the evacuation.

“The numbers of those to be brought are high and the places where we can isolate them are not enough for the travellers, so we will have to do it in a staggered fashion and together with Nema and the Ministry of Health.

“We will have to go with an agreement to be bringing them according to the number of beds and so forth that are available. We are almost ready to go,” Onyeama said.

Nigeria had earlier given two conditions to be met by the stranded Nigerians.

They must undergo a compulsory Covid-19 test in their host countries and also will undergo a 14-day quarantine on arrival.

The conditions are in line with the guidelines of the National Centre for Disease Control.

Besides, they will bear all expenses of the trip.

The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, headed by Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa, listed the conditions