President Muhammadu Buhari has approved $8.5 million for immediate evacuation of about 5,000 Nigerians that flee the Russia-Ukrainian war to Poland, Romania, Hungary and Slovakia.
The Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Zubairu Dada, disclosed this while briefing State House correspondents at the end of the virtual Federal Executive Council, FEC, meeting presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the Council Chamber, Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The Minister, who was flanked by her counterpart, the Minister of Humanitarian, Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouk, said the approval came after a joint memo presented by both the ministries of Foreign Affairs, and Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development at the council meeting.
Dada said that Air Peace and Max Air airlines have been contracted to provide three aircraft and run as many shifts as possible to facilitate the evacuation.
He added that those to be evacuated include 940 from Romania, 150 from Slovakia and 350 from Poland who have registered for evacuation.
Speaking on the amount approved, Dada said: “The Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs wrote a memo to the President, seeking for funding to enable us conduct this exercise.
“The memo was in the region of $8.5 million, which Mr. President has graciously approved. That provision entails arrangement to evacuate not less than 5,000 Nigerians.
“Whatever happens you can be rest assured we are going to run any number of shifts that it will involved.
“Don’t forget it will also involve taking care of those Nigerians that may decide not to come back.
“It also include some assistance for the feeding that may have been done by the missions under whatever arrangements.
“Even the missions themselves are also in dire situations. So it’s a whole gambit of activities that are involved.”
Asked if the amount will be released immediately for the exercise, the Minister said: “That is why the evacuation flights will begin today (Wednesday).”
