First set of Nigerians stranded in Sudan arrive in Nigeria

The first set of Nigerians from those who were stranded in has arrived back in the country..

The spokesperson of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Nanso Ezekiel, said the Nigerians aboard the Air Peace plane were expected to arrive by 11.13 pm while the Nigerian Air Force plane conveying others was expected to land by 11.45 pm.

Abike Dabiri-Erewa, chairperson of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), told journalists at the airport Wednesday night that 376 Nigerians were expected.

She said 90 persons, including women and children, were being evacuated by the Nigerian Air Force plane while the rest were on the Air Peace plane.

Also, the Nigerian Air Force plane conveying another set of Nigerians from Egypt touched down at the airport in Abuja at about 12 midnight.

On Tuesday, the Air Peace plane landed in Egypt in preparation to airlift the stranded Nigerians back home.

The NAF evacuation team also left for Aswan Airport in Egypt on April 29 for the same operation.

TheCable reported how citizens evacuated from the crisis had been stranded at the Egyptian border following visa issues.

In a turn of events on Monday, Dabiri-Erewa said the border was opened after President Muhammadu Buhari spoke with Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, the Egyptian president.

The first set of evacuated Nigerians were initially expected to arrive in the country on Friday.