COVID-19: Nigerian govt sets date to evacuate more citizens from US 

The Nigerian Government said it had concluded plans to evacuate more Nigerians from the United States (US).

A recent statement from the office of the Consulate General of Nigeria in New York, on behalf of the Nigerian Missions in the U.S., said the evacuation had been fixed for July 3.

The consulate said the evacuees would depart the Newark Liberty International Airport, New Jersey, aboard an Ethiopian Airlines plane to arrive the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on July 4.

The statement added that only those free of COVID-19 and with body temperatures below 38 degrees centigrade would be allowed to board the plane.

The statement read in part, “In accordance with the Nigerian Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, all prospective evacuees must present an original COVID-19 negative test result (not older than 14 days) at the airport of departure.

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“They must also undergo a temperature check four hours before departure.

“Any intending evacuee without the stipulated test result, or with a body temperature above 38 degrees centigrade, or any symptoms suggestive of COVID-19, will not be allowed to check in.

“While on board, all prospective evacuees are required to be in possession of a hand sanitiser for intermittent use throughout the journey and wear face masks.”

Prospective travelers, the statement also said, would be subjected to instructions of Port Health Services (PHS), officials and entry screening protocols on arrival in Nigeria.

No less than 700 Nigerians, it was learnt, registered to be evacuated from the US.

The evaluation would be the second one from the US since the outbreak of the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic.

On May 10, 160 Nigerians aboard a special Ethiopian Airline flight arranged by the Nigerian government.

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