Nigerians who are awaiting evacuation from several countries continue to lament over the inability of the Federal Government to airlift them back into the country since the covid-19 evacuation process started almost three months ago.
This is coming as the National Coordinator of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, Dr. Sani Aliyu announced yesterday that prior arrangements of evacuation of Nigerians from outside the Country is suspended until the new policy being developed with the private sector comes into place.
Also, the Foreign Affairs Minister, Geoffrey Onyeama in a series of tweets today stated that the PTF has the final say on the evacuation process.
He said, “Please note that the final decision on evacuations rests with the National Coordinator. Yesterday he announced the suspension of all evacuation flights until he decides that the new mechanism and protocol are ready.
“Since the new protocol does not mandate hotel quarantining, it should permit more frequent evacuations”.
Some of the people who responded to the tweet could not hide their disappointment with the whole process, lamenting that the Government has not been fair to her citizens abroad who are willing to come back to Nigeria.
Below are some of the tweets:
* muawiyya usman zagga – “Not looking promising at all”.
* MICHAEL WUDIRI – “Hello Sir, I have repeatedly requested to get any updates on those of us in Iraq should the evacuation resume. Is it possible to also consider us?”.
*Zaina – “You cancelled our flight 4times. What on God’s Earth do you want from Us? People are sick in India,some are dead.People are suffering & reporting you to God ,You guys slept on Us but God never sleeps! Where’s your Empathy?”.
*Mohd’Selim – “Buck passing as usual”.
*doueyifiderik – “Please please please I beg you in the name of God get my wife back from South Africa. I’m not happy. My wife is not happy. Honestly, we are not”.
*sekinat – “We have done the covid 19 test with so much plead at the hospital because we didn’t have any symptom. How do we go back to them again that we want to take another test and we expect them to answer us?? They are laughing at us Woman facepalming @abikedabiri,mama please help us talk to him”.
*Yetunde – “So we should continue to suffer here sir? How about the test I mean the covid test you said we should do ? this test expires after some day and we have done it already you said it should not be more than 9 days.sir this is not fair”.
*Yetunde – “Sir am in UK with my daughter for over 3 months my business is at stake sir please and please remember us in UK”.
*Abe Kowo – “Just as Dr. Anthony Fauci is not a politician. Dr Sani Aliyu is not a politician. He is an infectious diseases expert. Please let him do his job”.
*Jubril Akolade – “Dear @GeoffreyOnyeama, now you shift your dereliction of duty to Chairman PTF. #StrandedNigerians in foreign countries had been pleading for 2½ months & all you do is to pass us around like fleas from @nidcom_gov to @NigeriaMFA & now @DigiCommsNG. This is shameful & embarrassing”.
*AijayGold – “Sir, some of us have been running expenses for over 2 months without income. Many small scale businesses are suffering because the owners are stranded. Some are still catering for families in Nigeria and expenses at current base. I know it’s not your business but show empathy”.
*Zaina – “You announced it on the 28th of May. You Let those from China in on the 30th. Cancelled our Flight from India on the 31st. YOU made us get Covid Tests, Now this? This is Just the Height of Wickedness. Very Embarrassing”.
*Badiya – “How long can we continue this way? I came here since November 1st, 2019 with my little boy, unfortunately I lost him here on the 22nd of May, will I be asking for too much if am allowed to go back to the rest of my family and cry in peace?”
*Badiya – “This is one of many such cases in our evacuation WhatsApp group. All of them were asked to leave the bodies of their loved ones behind because the airline doesn’t carry dead bodies”.
*Badiya – “From May 17th, 31st, June 4th they keep shifting our flights. Now we don’t even have a date. Until further notice they say. We are Nigerians. Our country should treat us better”.
