FG evacuates 1,531 Nigerians from Ukraine, commends IOM

The Federal Government, on Thursday, confirmed it airlifted 1,531 stranded Nigerians from Ukraine.

Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022, in a major escalation of the war which began February 2014.

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama said the government has helped thousands of nationals return since 2015.

Onyeama spoke in Abuja at the 22nd edition of the Buhari Administration Scorecard Series (2015-2023).

He said Nigerians in Libya, Mali, Sudan, Cote d’Ivoire, Senegal, among others, were also assisted in the last eight years.

The minister indicated the countries had an increased rate of victims of human trafficking, particularly women and girls.

He also recalled the evacuation of more than 100 citizens stranded in Russia after the 2018 World Cup.

Nigerians were recently evacuated from India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the senior official added.

Onyeama commended the International Organization for Migration (IOM) for its collaboration on the repatriations.

The United Nations (UN) agency provides services regarding migration to governments, migrants, refugees and internally displaced persons