Russia-Ukraine War: Third batch of evacuees arrive Abuja

The third batch of Nigerian evacuees from Ukraine arrived Friday night at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja,

They arrived on a plane owned by Air Peace, one of the airlines billed to airlift Nigerians returning from Ukraine. They were airlifted from Hungary where they had fled following the war in Ukraine.

A total of 174 Nigerians were evacuated on the third flight, according to the federal government.

PREMIUM TIMES reported the arrival of the first and second batch on the same day. About 415 people were evacuated on the first flight while 183 people were on the second flight.

According to a NAN report, the federal government gave 100 dollars to each of the evacuees to help them get to their relatives when they get to Nigeria.

Three of the returnees confirmed to PREMIUM TIMES that they received the money.

The federal government on Wednesday approved $8.5 million for the evacuation of 5,000 stranded Nigerians.

Over one million people have fled Ukraine since the Russian invasion began over a week ago.

Hundreds of people have also been killed or injured in the attacks that have been condemned by many countries and the United Nations.

Russia says it wants to ‘demilitarise’ Ukraine and ensure it never joins the U.S.-led North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO).

Chiamaka Okafor is a reporter at Premium Times in partnership with Report for the World, which matches local newsrooms with talented emerging journalists to report on under-covered issues around the globe.”