The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), said 1,471 passengers from Sudan has arrived at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja from Sudan so far.
NiDCOM, on its official Twitter handle, gave the update, yesterday.
“EVACUATION UPDATE: (6th and 7th Batches of Evacuation:)
“The 6th and 7th batches of Evacuees: 424 Nationals that departed Aswan International Airport, Egypt, landed at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport around 12:30 p.m. local time on May 7 via Tarco and Azman Air respectively.
“We await the arrival of the AirPeace flight tomorrow to convey everyone remaining in Port Sudan.”
However, Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, put the number of evacuees at 834 Nigerians.
Addressing the returnees, the Permanent Secretary, Nasir Sani-Gwarzo, reiterated government’s determination to repatriate Nigerians residing in Sudan.
Sani-Gwarzo noted that no life had been lost, adding that two persons who were sick were recuperating and that they would be discharged soon.
“One promise we gave to Mr President and our principals, the Ministers is that no Nigerian who wants to come back home will be left behind.
“Adequate arrangements with massive flight will bring everybody back home. And even beyond the main phase of the evacuation, we are living behind a mop up service,” he said.
“But we will make sure that anybody who happens to trickle in to the borders who is a Nigerian.”
He said that the delay in the release of some of the returnees luggages in Wadi Halfa, in Sudan, had been settled and their luggages came in with them on their flights.
He added that the sick ones among them had also been taken to the clinics for proper check-up, before releasing them to go to their respective homes.
He added that a mop-up session had been put in place to bring back more stranded Nigerians in Sudan.
“If you know any of your colleague that was left behind, kindly let us know,” he added.
Officials of the Ministries of Humanitarian Affairs, Foreign Affairs, NEMA, NAPTIP, NIDCOM, Refugees Commission, Port Health officials, Police, among others, were all on ground to receive the returnees.
