NAF’s first flight of 94 Sudan evacuees arrive Abuja

By Sumaila Ogbaje

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has brought back home 94 Nigerians stranded in Sudan due to ongoing conflict in that country.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Nigerians arrived the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja aboard NAF 913 C-130H aircraft at 11.54 pm on Wednesday.

They are among the first batch of 276 Nigerians airlifted from Aswan in Egypt as Nigeria begins evacuation of more than 5,000 of its citizens in Sudan back home.

According to NAF spokesman, Air Commodore Ayodele Famuyiwa, in a statement on Thursday, the effort is in furtherance of NAF’s constitutional role of aid to civil authority.

Famuyiwa said the airlift was also in line with Federal Government’s commitment to rescue and successfully return back home all Nigerians living in Sudan.

“The airlift operation is most heart warming as it coincides with the NAF’s 59th anniversary celebration holding in Enugu from May 4 to May 7,” he added.

He said the returnees were received by Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Sadiya Umar-Farouq, Director General, NEMA, Ahmed Habib, and Abike Dabiri-Erewa, the Chief Executive Officer, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission.

(NAN)