Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, has revealed that Nigerians evacuated from foreign countries would be given personalised passes in order to return to their base amidst the inter-state travel ban.
Mr Onyeama gave this update on Thursday during the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 briefing in Abuja as the 14-day quarantine for returnees come to an end.
Due to the inter-state travel ban by all 36 state governors to curb coronavirus spread, movement is restricted except for essential workers.
However, according to Onyeama, the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu has made provision for these Nigerians to seemlessly return to their states.
“We are coming to the end of the 14-day quarantine for the first and second batches of Nigerian evacuees. Some of them need to travel across state lines to get home,” Onyeama wrote on Twitter.
” I spoke to the Inspector General of @PoliceNG, Mohammed A. Adamu, and he has directed Commissioners of Police in Abuja and Lagos to give the evacuees personalised passes for travel.”
With many other Nigerians still clamouring to return home, Onyeama pleaded for patience as only few can be evacuated due to the country’s inadequate facilities on ground.
” We have evacuated 4 batches so far, the first batch from the UAE, second batch from the UK, third batch is from the US and the fourth batch from Saudi Arabia. There are many Nigerians all over the world who still want to come home and we are doing everything we can to bring them,” he added.
“There are Nigerians in India, China, South Africa, Sudan, UK, US, France and so on. I urge you all to continue to bear with us, be patient, because the reality is that we can only process a certain number at any given time.
” All the different facilities that are required to be in place, human resources as well are limited. It really pains us to know and see that there are Nigerians out there who are really desperate and going through difficult times needing and wanting to come home.
“So we will continue to do everything possible to bring them back home as quickly as possible.
“In regards to the situation of Nigerians who arrived Cotonou, Benin Republic, and taken to a hotel for quarantine and asked to pay for test:
“I was in touch with our Ambassador in Cotonou and he has informed me that there are 8 Nigerians who arrived from Berlin and he has contacted the Benin Government and the evacuees. He is making arrangements to transport them to Nigeria. He is not aware of any payment for tests.
“I have been in touch with the Comptroller General of @nigimmigration, Muhammad Babandede, and he has assured me that he has given directives to the border officials to make the appropriate arrangements for the evacuees. #StayHomeSaveLives #COVID19 @DigiCommsNG @NigeriaGov.”
