No fewer than 544 Nigerians stranded in the United States of America (USA) and United Kingdom (UK) have been successfully evacuated back to Nigeria, it was learnt.
The evacuation is the last before the opening of the country’s air space August 29, 2020.
The country air space was shut in March 2020 as a result of the global lockdown occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Confirming the evacuation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the U.S evacuees who were conveyed on Ethiopian airline include: 87 Males, 111 females and 10 infants.
According to the flight manifest a total of 89 passengers are for Abuja and 119 for Lagos.
The latest evacuation according to the Ministry brings to 2,322 the number of Nigerians evacuated from USA following the global lockdown in March 2020.
The U.K evacuees were conveyed on Air Peace flight operated by Air Europa and scheduled to arrive the country on Saturday 21st August 2020.
According to the Ministry, “the 8th and last batch of evacuation flight from the UK departed Gatwick Airport, London to Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja today, August 21, 2020 at 1.35pm.
“The Air Peace Flight No. P47701 operated by Air Europa Flight No. UK 962 had 236 returnees on board.”
Over 10,000 Nigerians have been evacuated back home since May 2020 under the emergency flight arrangements.