The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, has said that the Federal Government will begin the evacuation of about 2,000 Nigerians who have fled the war in Ukraine to neighbouring countries from Wednesday.
Speaking in an interview on a Channels Television’s ‘Politics Today’ programme, he said President Muhammadu Buhari had approved funds for the airlines to evacuate Nigerians.
When asked if the number of evacuees was about 2,000, and when the evacuation would take place, he said, “Wednesday hopefully…Air Peace and Max Air.”
He said there were about 8,000 Nigerians in Ukraine, 5,000 of whom were students, adding that the Federal Government had tipped Air Peace and Air Max to airlift the Nigerians who wanted to be evacuated.
The Minister also had a meeting with Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila, assuring him that the first batch of the air-lift of Nigerians is scheduled to take place on Wednesday.
According to Onyeama, the evacuation earlier planned for Monday was rescheduled for Wednesday to give enough room for the ministry, the House and the Nigerian foreign missions in Ukraine, Poland and Russia to complete the formalities of moving Nigerians from inside Ukraine to safe borders with neighbouring countries.
The Minister reassured the Speaker things were under control in Ukraine as the Federal Government had put necessary arrangement in place to ensure the safe return of Nigerians
