FG receives 1,071 returnees from Saudi Arabia in three days

A fresh batch of 418 Nigerians returned from Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, bringing the total number of returnees to 1,071 within three days.

Leading the inter-governmental agencies to receive the returnees, the Director, Consular and Legal Department in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Amb Bolaji Akinremi, said 255 and 398 returnees arrived Nigeria on Monday and Tuesday, respectively.

Akinremi said that the smooth reintegration exercise was made possible by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha.

A statement by the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission spokesman, Abdul-Rahman Balogun, said the director also commended all the agencies involved in the repatriation exercise.

It said rapid testing for COVID-19 was carried out while the returnees were profiled by states and gender, adding that they would be quarantined in a camp for three days.

The statement said, “Akinremi assured the returnees that the accommodation at the camp has basic amenities which include a 24-hour medical service to look into the welfare of the returnees before they are joined with their families.

“The Ambassador said that a token amount of N20,000 was given to each of the returnees for their transportation while free meals and toiletries were supplied to all of them.”

The NIDCOM Chairman, represented by Balogun, said everything would be done to make the returnees comfortable.

He advised those wishing to leave the country due to one challenge or the other to have a rethink, ‘’especially if they do not have any job to do abroad, to stay at home and think of what to do for themselves.’’

Over 1000 Nigerian returnees from Saudi Arabia were evacuated back to the country in January 2021. Punch