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General News of Tuesday, 7 April 2020

Source: www.mynigeria.com

Evacuation from Nigeria to end this week - US tells citizens

US nationals at the departure wing of MMIA on Monday. Photo: US Mission in Nigeria US nationals at the departure wing of MMIA on Monday. Photo: US Mission in Nigeria

United States citizens living in Nigeria have only this week to show interest in the evacuation back home as flights may no longer come to the African country, the US Mission in Nigeria has advised.

About 376 Americans departed the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Lagos to Washington Dulles International Airport on Monday.

The move comes as a result of the coronavirus pandemic that has so far infected 238 persons, killing five patients with 35 recoveries, according to Worldometers.

While the US presently battles with 11,881 deaths out of at least 380,313 infections, the potential evacuees from Nigeria have been informed that the hospitals in the US were overwhelmed.

In a statement on its website on Monday, it told its citizens that the registration for evacuation flights from Nigeria ends at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, April 8.

US nationals at the departure wing of MMIA on Monday. Photo: US Mission in Nigeria
The statement read, “The U.S. Embassy in Abuja is in the process of contacting persons who have registered their interest in being placed on an evacuation flight.

“The flight is estimated to travel later this week, but we do not have exact information at this time. After this flight, there are no other flights currently scheduled.

“Due to the unprecedented nature of this situation and the worldwide effort to ensure all American Citizens have a chance to return to the United States, U.S. Embassy Abuja is not aware of when Washington, DC would be in a position to charter another aircraft.

“U.S. Embassy Abuja urges all persons who are considering evacuation to take advantage of this opportunity.

“If you have not yet registered your interest in repatriation flights but are interested in this week’s flight, you must register your interest no later than 9:00 am on Wednesday, April 8.”

Punch