Some Nigerians in diaspora have called on the federal government for help, claiming that they are stranded abroad due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Recall that the chairman of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, disclosed that Nigerians stranded abroad due to coronavirus will soon be evacuated.
The Herald gathered that some of the citizens who are stranded abroad are in Glasgow and Scotland.
One of them, a student, tweeted the group’s Save-Our-Soul message to the Chairman of Nigeria in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM).
@abikedabiri There are some of us stranded in Glasgow Scotland, I am a student and will appreciate your consideration for us to return home. Almighty God will always answer your prayers
— Star Sunday (@star1sunday) April 5, 2020
Dabiri-Erewa replied to the tweet, expressing the willingness of the government to bring home the stranded Nigerians if they meet NIDCOM’s requirements at such a critical time.
Contact @nidcom_gov for further details by tomorrow or visit https://t.co/dwQjckUgls. Rules apply https://t.co/ydVEeQDgxK
— Abike Dabiri-Erewa (@abikedabiri) April 5, 2020
Earlier, The Herald reported that Geoffrey Onyeama, minister of foreign affairs, said foreign citizens are being evacuated from Nigeria because they are more familiar with health systems in their countries.
Recall that a chartered Air France flight on Thursday, March 26, evacuated 378 European citizens from Nigeria through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos state.
Onyeama on Friday, April 3, disclosed that there is no hidden agenda behind some countries evacuating their citizens from Nigeria.
The minister explained further that the diplomatic staff of most of the countries are still in Nigeria, and that hey have no plans of leaving.
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According to him, “It is basically a case where people are more familiar with the health system in their various countries and so prefer to go to the various countries so in the event that they might have to be confined.
“They would be in more familiar surroundings and they would also have access to medical practitioners and facilities that they are used to.
“So, that is really the reason. And you will find that a large number of those countries evacuating citizens, that their heads of mission and ambassadors and other staff are still here in Nigeria and there are no plans of leaving.”