Second batch of Nigerians from Ukraine arrives in Abuja

The second batch of Nigerian evacuees from Ukraine has arrived in Abuja.

An Air Peace flight carrying the 183 evacuees, (180 adults and three children) touched down at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, at exactly 6:35 pm on Friday.

The evacuation exercise follows the attack by Russia on Ukraine which has left scores of people killed and many displaced.

Over 5,000 Nigerians, majority of whom are students studying in Ukraine have been caught up in the conflict.

Many of them have reportedly fled to neighbouring countries to Ukraine including Hungary, Poland and Romania.

Earlier, the first batch of Nigerian evacuees, numbering 416 arrived in the country from Romania, aboard Max Air.

Meanwhile, as the country ramps up efforts to evacuate citizens stranded after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine President Muhammadu Buhari has vowed to continue to defend the interest of Nigerians wherever they may be.

A statement by the Special Adviser to the President, Femi Adesina, quoted his principal as making this assertion on Thursday in Nairobi, Kenya at a Townhall Meeting with some Nigerians in the country.

“On our part as a Government, we shall continue to defend the interests of all Nigerians wherever they may be. We have demonstrated this over time, as we have had cause to evacuate our citizens in harm’s way abroad.

“We did it in Libya, South Africa and we have just commenced doing the same in Ukraine, where thousands of our citizens, especially students, are trapped by the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine,” the president said.

As part of support for the evacuation process, the President had earlier in the week approved $8.5m dollars to the ministries of Foreign Affairs and Humanitarian, Disaster Management, and Social Development.

(Channels TV)