CoOVID-19:  160 Nigerians stranded in US arrive Abuja

The first batch of Nigerians stranded in the United States due to the coronavirus pandemic has arrived in Abuja.

160 Nigerians, including eight infants, made the first batch of evacuees.

They arrived at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, around 11.05 am on Sunday.

They returned aboard an Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 787 aircraft under the special flight arrangements by the Federal Government for nationals stranded abroad.

“ET Flight 8509 conveying 160 Nigerian evacuees from the US has safely arrived Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja,” Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, said while confirming their arrival.

The plane departed the Newark International Airport, New Jersey, on Saturday around 8:20 p.m. local time (1:20 a.m. in Nigeria on Sunday).

Onyeama added that on arrival, the evacuees would be quarantined for 14 days in Abuja before leaving for their respective destinations in the country.