Nigeria set to evacuate citizens from South Africa

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Godwin Adama, Nigeria Consul General in Johannesburg, says the diplomatic mission is set to evacuate 167 stranded Nigerians from South Africa on Thursday.

Adama explained in a phone interview that a special flight was approved on a charter basis by the governments of Nigeria and South Africa, as both countries airports were still closed to international travels. He further said that the commission had enjoyed the cooperation of the South Africa authorities to ensure the operation of the flight.

According to him:
“We are evacuating 167 stranded Nigerians from South Africa today Thursday, June 25, Air peace Airways was approved by the Federal Government of Nigeria to convey them. The Nigerians got stranded as a result of the lockdown occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic since March 28.

He further said: “The affected Nigerians are those who came on grounds of doing business, students on research programmes and some that finished their courses, while others came on an official assignment. The flight will depart here about 1100 hrs and will arrive Abuja 6 hrs later and thereafter, proceed to Lagos to drop Lagos passengers.

Furthermore, he expressed appreciation to God for making it possible for them and that due to the agreement, several stranded Nigerians now have hope of rejoining their family members in the country after over three months.

He, however, said that all the Nigerian passengers had tested negative to COVID-19 before boarding, which is in line with the revised protocol on COVID-19.

He also said that: “The flight in line with the Presidential Task Force revised protocol on COVID-19, is being coordinated by the Consulate General of Nigeria, Johannesburg in collaboration with the Nigerian High Commission, Pretoria.”

Fatimah Ewatomi