The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has brought back home 94 Nigerians stranded in Sudan following the protracted conflict in that country.
The evacuees, flown in NAF 913 C-130H aircraft, arrived the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja at 2254 UTC (11.54pm local time) last night, 3 May 2023.
Director of Public Relations & Information (DOPRI), Air Commodore Ayodele Famuyiwa who made the disclosure on Thursday, said the evacuees are among the first batch of 276 Nigerians airlifted from Aswan in the wake of the ongoing security challenges in Sudan.
The NAF effort is in furtherance of its constitutional role of aid to civil authority, and in line with the commitment by the Federal Government to rescue and successfully return back home 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 4-7 May 2023.
On hand to receive the returnees on arrival were the Honourable Minister for Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajia Sadiya Umar Farouq; the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Dr Nasir Sani Gwarzo; Director General National Emergency Management Agency, Ahmed Habib; and Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Hon Abike Dabiri-Erewa.