Nigeria Approves $8.5 million to Evacuate Citizens from Ukraine
Nigerians in Ukraine would be evacuated for $8.5 million, according to President Muhammadu Buhari. Zubairu Dada, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, stated this after the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting on Wednesday, March 2, presided by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo.
Air Peace and Max Air airlines has been hired to send three planes and run as many shifts as possible to help with the evacuation, according to Dada. Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last week, Nigerians have continued to exit the country.
According to the United Nations, more than 500,000 people have fled Ukraine, with another three million need humanitarian assistance.
Ghana for instance has evacuated it’s first batch of students yesterday becoming the first African country to do so. Nigeria’s approved funding would in the same capacity light a beacon of hope to stranded students and expatriates in Ukraine.
The approved funding would go to the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development to help at least 5,000 Nigerians who have been stranded due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama stated that the evacuation would begin today during a meeting with Speaker of the House of Representatives Femi Gbajabiamila on Monday.
Many Nigerian students in Ukraine have sought for involvement from the federal government. Initially, the Nigerian embassy in Ukraine advised residents to be responsible for their own security.
The Nigerian consulate in Romania received 130 Nigerians fleeing Ukraine, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The ministry stated in a statement that it had given lodging for the stranded Nigerians while plans are being made to transport them back home.
Officials in Budapest, Hungary, welcomed and lodged 74 Nigerians who were being recorded for later travel arrangements back to Nigeria, according to the ministry.
Source: ICIR
Abeeb Lekan Sodiq is a Managing Editor & Writer at theafricandream.net. He is as well a Graphics Designer and also known as Arakunrin Lekan.
