A total of 130 Nigerians, 128 females and 2 infants are airborne and expected to land at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja by 2:30 pm.
This was revealed by the Director-General, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mustapha Habib Ahmed appreciate the approval granted by President Muhammadu Buhari to the Agency to carry out the evacuation.
He equally appreciated the support given by the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouq.
He, therefore, enjoined all stakeholders to continue to work harmoniously with NEMA to ensure that this exercise is hitch-free and assured that the operation would be completed in the next few days.
Following the successful arrival of the first batch of stranded Nigerians in war-torn Sudan through Egypt on Wednesday, Federal Government through NEMA has prepositioned more aircraft to airlift more Nigerian nationals from Aswan in Egypt and Port Sudan back home.
To augment the process, Max Air and Azman Airlines have been engaged, dispatched and arrived at Aswan, Egypt to airlift the remaining Nigerians that have been successfully transported to the Sudan-Egypt border and cleared by the authorities there.
In the same vein, a Sudan-based aviation company, Taco Aviation has been engaged in the airlift of Nigerians from the Airport in Port Sudan.
Additionally, in response to the basic humanitarian needs of the Nigerian citizens at the Egyptian border, NEMA has continued to provide food, water and other essential supplies to them while awaiting clearance into Egypt for onward airlift to Nigeria. The food arrangement was made by NEMA and the Nigerian Embassy in Egypt.
By engaging other airlines, the evacuation operation will be accelerated. Similarly, Taco Aviation based in Sudan has been engaged to enhance the movement of our citizens back home from Port Sudan.
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