Wole Shadare
Some Nigerians stranded in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Thursday returned to Nigeria after a harrowing experience in Dubai and other Middle East nations.
The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission disclosed that 384 Nigerians returned to the country via the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja from the UAE.
The returnees are part of the 802 Nigerians stranded in Saudi Arabia that the Federal Government had promised would be evacuated to Nigeria on Thursday and Friday.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs disclosed that the second batch would arrive in the country on Friday and would be received at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, by the ministry’s officials.
A statement said: “They (returnees) will be quarantined at the FCT Hajj camp for a period of 14 days in line with established COVID-19 protocols. Thereafter, the ministry will facilitate their movement to their respective home destinations.”
Announcing the return of the first batch, NIDCOM said out of the 384 returnees, 300 are males while 83 are females with one infant whose gender the Commission did not disclose.