The Nigerian Government through the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has evacuated 1,277 Nigerians who were stranded in the raging Central African Republic crisis to home safety.
According to a report from the agency, the first batch of evacuees arrived at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja on Friday, the 3rd of January 2014; while the second and third batches arrived on Saturday 4th and Sunday 5th. The arrivals, it said were received on behalf of the Federal Government by the Director – General of NEMA, Muhammad Sani Sidi and some officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Welcoming them back home, Sani Sidi told the evacuees that food and non food items were available for them at the camp while contacts have been made with the government of their various states of origin to convey them to their respective States. The registered evacuees were mostly indigenes of Bauchi, Edo, Jigawa, Kebbi, Borno, Ekiti, Anambra, Zamfara, FCT, Akwa Ibom, Benue, Abia, Enugu, Kano, Imo and Kaduna States. Others hail from Sokoto, Kwara, Adamawa, Gombe Nassarawa and Delta States.
The Governments of Benue, Anambra, Delta, Abia, Edo and Bauchi States have so far commenced the moving of their indigenes out of the camp in Abuja to their various States.
The DG of NEMA indicated that the first batch of evacuees comprised women, men and children with a total of 365; the second batch was 748 and the third batch had a total of 164; adding that the evacuation process will continue.
Federal Ministry of Information (FMI) Press Release
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