Russia – Ukraine Conflict: Hiccups Delay Evacuation Of Stranded Nigerians From Poland
– Reps’ delegation arrives in Romania
– Air Peace deploys aircraft for operation
An Air Peace charter flight scheduled yesterday to evacuate Nigerians fleeing Ukraine from Poland was postponed due to hitches.
A Ministry of Foreign Affairs official, Bolaji Akinremi, said the flight was postponed due to a delay in preparing passengers’ documents for the check-in process.
Air Peace also confirmed yesterday that it has deployed its aircraft to evacuate the Nigerians, according to its spokesman, Stanley Olisa.
The aircraft, he said, departed Nigeria at 2:20am yesterday for Warsaw, Poland.
The Federal Government on Wednesday said it approved $8.5 million for the evacuation.
According to the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Zubairu Dada, the countries where the pickup flights were scheduled include Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and Romania.
It was gathered yesterday that a delegation from the House of Representatives arrived in Romania to begin oversight and assist in the evacuation of Nigerians from Ukraine following Russia’s invasion of the Eastern European nation.
A statement from the Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs to the Chairman, House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Nkem Anyata-Lafia, said the group is led by the House Leader, Alhassan Ado-Doguwa.
“The lawmakers, who departed the country yesterday after very close monitoring of the degenerating situation in the last few days through which they maintained close contacts with officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Nigerian Missions in Ukraine, Bucharest, Budapest, Warsaw, and other regional neighbouring countries to Ukraine, as well as the fleeing Nigerian nationals, were received on arrival by officials of the Nigerian Missions in the area,” the statement said.
“The delegation was subsequently led to meet with Nigerian evacuees, who were already at the airport awaiting the first flight that would leave for Nigeria.”
During their interaction with the Nigerians, who are mostly students, the delegation conveyed the House’s goodwill and expressed confidence that the conflict will end soon.
Their arrival followed a resolution by the House during plenary last week with the Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila mandating Ado-Doguwa and the Chairman, House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Buba Yakub, to visit Ukraine and ensure Nigerians, who want to return home are supported.
