Another batch of Nigerians on Friday returned to the country from Saudi Arabia, a day after 384 others came back from the same nation.
The returnees who include 126 men and 293 females, including children, arrived at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport onboard Saudi Arabia Airline SV-3413 at exactly 11:57 a.m.
Yesterday’s returnees – 300 males, 83 females, and one infant – were received by a representative of the minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bolaji at the Hajj Terminal where he charged them not to despair.
He, however, said the Nigerian government does not support illegal migration.
The returnees will be quarantined at the Federal Capital Territory Hajj camp for 14 days in line with the reversed COVID-19 protocols by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19.
The evacuation of the stranded Nigerians followed a viral video in which they called for help. The videos showed bodies – wrapped in black polythene bags – lying on the floor in a packed room with a voice narrating that they have been stranded for more than seven months.
“I can’t confirm the video. But I know that we have 600 Nigerians that are illegal migrants, that would be leaving Saudi Arabia,” the Chairman of NIDCOM, Abike Dabiri-Erewa said while responding to the viral video.
“Yesterday we were with the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Zubairu Dada, and other officials and plans have already been made to get them home before the end of the month pending any unforeseen circumstances.”
