Some Nigerians stranded in the United Kingdom have appealed to the Federal Government to come to their aid through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
They said it was important for the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Godfrey Onyeama to provide necessary information such as precise date of commencement of evacuation, the airlines contracted to airlift them and how much they would be required to pay for the flight tickets.
They said FG’s delay in facilitating their evacuation from the UK was getting them frustrated, saying it was an abuse of the constitution for a government to lock its citizens out of the country.
The Herald had reported how some 230 Nigerians in Dubai, United Arab Emirates have been facing a similar situation.
One of the stranded Nigerians in the UK, Mrs. Olajoke Adesipe, spoke on behalf of others in a Sunday statement.
According to her, most of the stranded passengers had tested negative for COVID-19.
“The action of the Federal Government shutting its airports against Nigerians in overseas is contrary to section14 (2) (b) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” the stranded Nigerians stated.
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“Since most of us on the platform have tested Negative for COVID-19, on arrival in Nigeria, temperature checks should be conducted to further ascertain our COVID-19 status and the government should allow us to self-quarantine in our various homes. We’re more than willing to sign an agreement to this request.
“If it is a must that we’re isolated by the government, we suggest the use of NYSC orientation camps as all of those centres are vacant now and each state has its own.
“Most of us do not currently possess the means by which we’re expected to pay for our accommodation at the isolation centres,” they said.
Reacting, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), which says it is tasked with the responsibility of evacuating Nigerians from abroad, said the global COVID-19 pandemic made this particular evacuation “peculiar”.
“This particular evacuation is a peculiar one as it involves a pandemic which is worldwide.
“The responsibility given to NEMA at the moment is just to identify airlines that are willing to go and evacuate the people,” Daily Trust quoted the agency as saying.
The Foreign Affairs Ministry had declined comments.
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