536 Nigerians Evacuated From Libya

Demonstrators gather near the White House
 in Washington in a show of solidarity
with the Libyan protestors on Saturday, Feb. 19, 2011.
(AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

The evacuation exercise embarked upon by the Federal Government to bring back stranded Nigerians in Libya has recorded additional 536 evacuees who were successfully flown to the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on Sunday night from Tripoli International Airport.

The total number of the evacuees so far, after the first batch of 499, is now 1,035 returnees which included adults and children.

The Director-General of National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Muhammad Sani-Sidi, while receiving the second batch at the airport said that the next flight, after receiving all necessary clearance, would leave for Tripoli today to bring back remaining Nigerians that had been registered and screened for the evacuation.



He said so far NEMA had continued to provide foods and medication as required for the evacuees at the designated special camp on Abuja International Airport road. He said that transportation arrangements were provided to take the passengers to their respective states of origin.

Welcoming the returnees to Nigeria on behalf of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Dr Martin Uhomoibhi, said the Federal Government was passionate about the well-being of Nigerians and was glad to see them safely back to the country. He urged the returnees to be law-abiding citizens and contribute to national development.

One of the returnees, Bash Ali, a Nigerian professional boxer, who was in Tripoli for medical treatment, commended President Goodluck Jonathan for giving the directive for the evacuation exercise and the courteous and speedy response of response agencies for the intervention, especially the NEMA, security personnel and foreign affairs.

Bash Ali said that, “I am proud to be a Nigerian… I am proud of this encouraging exercise. Home is home… and home is sweet nothing is more comforting than to be among your people at home.”

He said as an African he was not happy at the turn of the event in Libya, saying that the crisis was caused by bad advisers rather than a single individual.

There evacuation exercise being coordinated by NEMA is targeted as evacuating over 2000 stranded Nigerians who are willing to return to Nigeria from the crisis in Libya.