“The Flight conveying 256 Nigerians evacuated from Dubai has landed Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos…” That was how the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Geoffrey Onyeama announced to Nigerians through his verifies Twitter handle @GeoffreyOnyeama of the arrival of Nigerians that are stranded in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as a result of the global restrictions on travels as a result of the ravaging Coronavirus (COVID-19 pandemic.
The citizens, he said arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, with an Emirates Airline at about 07.40pm. While at the Presidential Taskforce on COVID19 Press briefing, the minister explained why the flight arrived later than schedule. He said, With regards to the evacuation of Nigerians back home – a woman went into labour on the evacuation flight from UAE today. The flight had to return to land. Mother and child are doing very well in hospital,” has assured.
Upon their arrival and as part of the laid down protocol on COVID-19, the evacuees are expected to proceed into 14-day isolation. Recall that the returnees had been scheduled to arrive at the airport at 3.00 p.m. before the woman went into labour, added the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), while confirming the minister’s explanations. The commission who gave the identity of the woman said, “a Nigerian lady, Mrs Kafayat Amusan, one of the stranded Nigerians travellers, returning from Dubai, UAE, has been delivered of a baby boy on board Emirates airline departing to Lagos.” According to Onyeama, over 4,000 Nigerians are waiting to be evacuated back home from across the world.
