Stranded Nigerians in the United Kingdom have expressed dissatisfaction and frustration over the delay in their evacuation by the Federal Government.
They added that most of them had tested negative to COVID-19 after being tested.
The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission had insisted that they must undergo a £350–that’s nearly N166,000–testing for coronavirus before they can be evacuated.
Though, the Nigerians affected expressed displeasure at the requirement, saying it was not part of conditions initially given to them, they went ahead to take the test.
A statement by Mrs Olajoke Adesipe, on behalf of the stranded Nigerians in the United Kingdom, called on the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, to as a matter of urgency come to their aid.
The group said the government does not have the constitutional power of locking its citizens out of the country for any reason, adding that; “the action of the Federal Government shutting its airports against Nigerians in oversea is contrary to section14 (2) (b) of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
The statement further urged the Nigerian government to communicate to them in clear terms, the precise date of commencement of evacuation, which airlines have been contracted to carry out this operation and how much they will be required to pay for the flight ticket.
The statement further said: “We, Nigerian citizens, stranded in the UK due to COVID-19, write to express our dissatisfaction and frustration with the delay in our evacuation.
“We want to inform you of the following that has been unanimously agreed to on our platform (approximately 190 Nigerians).
“The Nigerian government does not have the constitutional power of locking its citizens out of the country. This is contrary to Section14 (2) (b) of the constitution of the FRN which stipulates expressly that, the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government. Every Government official swore on oath to uphold the constitution.
“Since most of us on the platform have tested Negative for COVID-19. On arrival in Nigeria, temperature checks should be conducted to further ascertain our COVID-19 status and the government should allow us to self-quarantine in our various homes. We are more than willing to sign an agreement to this request.
“If it is a must that we are isolated by the government, we suggest the use of NYSC orientation camps as all of those centres are vacant now and each state has its own.
“Also, we want to urge you to communicate to us in clear terms, what is the precise date of commencement of evacuation? Which airlines have been contracted to carry out this operation. How much we are to pay for the flight ticket.
“Lastly, most of us do not currently possess the mean by which we are expected to pay for our accommodation at the isolation centres.
“We have already paid £350 to private laboratories for the COVID-19 test, the test which was a prerequisite to be airlifted and we are also paying for our flight tickets.
“We hope that the government is able to agree with us on these term stated above as they are the most practicable at the moment. We wish the government treat this as an emergency.”
When Daily Trust inquired from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs when Nigerians in the UK will be evacuated, spokesperson of the Ministry, Ferdinand Nwonye directed our reporter to inquire from National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA.
According to a source, who pleaded anonymity, NEMA is actually in charge of evacuation of Nigerians abroad back to the country but this particular evacuation is a peculiar one as it involves a pandemic which is worldwide.
The responsibility given to NEMA at the moment is just to identify airlines that are willing to go and evacuate the people, the source said.
“Going on, NEMA might still be given another responsibility to carry out on the evacuation of the people but for now, NEMA was mandated to identify airlines who are willing to go and they have done that and submitted their reports to the authority,” the source added.
