The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) has said that a lot of Nigerians in the United States, United Kingdom, China and West Africa countries have started registering with the Nigerian missions abroad for evacuation back to Nigeria.
The commission disclosed that many individuals were interested in returning home due to the coronavirus pandemic.
According to the spokesperson of NIDCOM, people that are registering are willing to pay for their flight expenses.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs last week directed Nigerian missions abroad to carry out a compilation of a list of Nigerians in Diaspora who are willing to return to the country.
The Ministry stated that the financial obligations would be fulfilled by those willing to be evacuated and that they would quarantined when they arrive Nigeria.
The Nigerian Consulate in New York, United States, responded to the directive by announcing that compilation of names have started in the Consulate.
While speaking on the registration of Nigerians overseas at a briefing by the Presidential Task force for the Control of Covid-19 yesterday, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, made it known that after the exercise, the government would plot the evacuation logistics.
He urged Nigerians abroad to stay where ever they were and cited the advise by medical experts that travellers were more prone to Covid-19 infection.
He said: “We have written letters to our embassies to give us an indication of the number in their countries and once we have that, we would be able to look at the issue of logistics and how to bring them back.
“We should also bear in mind that the medical people have said that it’s better to stay where you are if you can but you stand a much better chance of catching the virus if you are travelling up and down.”
