By Chimezie Godfrey
In fulfilment of the directives of President Muhammadu Buhari, that no Nigerian fleeing the crisis in Sudan should be left behind, the Federal Government has brought back home, the last batch of stranded Nigerians from Port Sudan.
They arrived the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport on Saturday, 13th May, 2023 at 6:36pm aboard Tarco Aviation. This batch of returnees numbering 147 was the second Tarco Aviation flight received on Saturday. The earlier flight brought back 125 evacuees.
The returnees were received at the Airport by the representative of the Hon. Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development (FMHADMSD), Dr. Nasir Sani-Gwarzo, mni, NPOM who is the Chairman of the Situation Room on the Evacuation Exercise. Also present was the representative of the Hon. Minister of Foreign Affairs and other senior government officials from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and IDPs (NCFRMI), and Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) among other Ministries, Departments and Agencies involved in the evacuation exercise.
A statement on Sunday jointly signed by the Perm. Sec. FMHADMSD, Dr Nasir Sani-Gwarzo and the Director Overseeing the Office of the Permanent Secretary, MFA, Amb. Janet Olisa noted that as earlier indicated, this latest batch of returnees marked the end of the emergency evacuation exercise put in place for stranded Nigerians in Sudan.
It stated,”A mop up exercise will be organised for other Nigerians who may want to return home hereafter. Details of the various evacuation flights are as follows:
1. 94 returnees – Aswan – 3/5/2023 – NAF C130
2. 274 returnees – Aswan – 3/5/2023 – Air Peace
3. 130 returnees – Port Sudan – 5/5/2023 – Tarco Aviation
4. 131 returnees – Port Sudan – 6/5/2023 – Tarco Aviation
5. 102 returnees – Port Sudan – 7/5/2023 – Tarco Aviation
6. 410 returnees – Aswan – 7/5/2023 – Max Air
7. 322 returnees – Aswan – 7/5/2023 – Azman Air
8. 133 returnees – Port Sudan – 8/5/2023 – Tarco Aviation
9. 127 returnees – Port Sudan – 9/5/2023 – Tarco Aviation
10. 136 returnees – Port Sudan – 10/5/2023 – Tarco Aviation
11. 128 returnees – Port Sudan – 10/5/2023 – Tarco Aviation
12. 123 returnees – Port Sudan – 11/5/2023 – Tarco Aviation
13. 136 returnees – Port Sudan – 11/5/2023 – Tarco Aviation
14. 125 returnees – Port Sudan – 13/05/2023 – Tarco Aviation
15. 147 returnees – Port Sudan – 13/05/2023 – Tarco Aviation.
“Total of 2,518 returnees.
“In summary, 15 flights were deployed by the Federal Government to airlift a total number of 2,518 Nigerian nationals from Sudan. The Federal Government seizes this opportunity to commend and appreciate the efforts of all the personnel deployed towards the successful evacuation exercise.
“Special appreciation goes to the crew of the NAF C130, Officers and Airmen of 063 NAF Hospital, Personnel of the Nigerian Police Force & Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corp Disaster Response Units, MOH Port Health Officers, Federal Airports Authority, Air Peace, Azman Airline, Max Air, Sudanese Tarco Aviation, Dangote Group of Companies, MTN, and the Media among other partners and stakeholders.
“The Federal Government is happy to announce that no Nigerian life was lost in the course of the evacuation exercise.”
