By Audrey Lotechukwu
MON, MAY 04 2020-theG&BJournal- Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman, Nigerians in Diaspora has said that the planned evacuation of thousands of Nigerians trapped abroad in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic outbreak will begin this week.
About 2000 Nigerians are stranded in the United Kingdom alone, with thousands more trapped in United Arab Emirate, Ghana, China and the United State of America (USA).
The Minister of Foreign Affairs Geoffrey Onyeama said during one of the recent Presidential Task Force briefings on COVID-19 in Abuja that the Federal government was finding it difficult to secure accommodation for their quarantine and isolation when they begin to return.
‘’We are trying to find quarantine centres approved by medical authorities. But most hotels do not want to be used for quarantine centres.’’
But last week he announced that they had finally located some hotels in Abuja and Lagos and made necessary arrangements, ‘’but the passengers will have to pay for the hotels.’’
He said; ‘’we have put a date for 4th of May 2020 for the commencement of the evacuation process.
Dabiri-Erewa revealed that over 3000 applications were received from Nigerians in about 75 countries requesting evacuation.
The planned evacuation will be in phases, she said, noting earlier explanation of the evacuation procedure by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama.
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