TheCable

Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of Lagos state, has donated the sum of N20,000 to each of the 314 Nigerians evacuated from South Africa on Wednesday.
The donation was presented to the returnees by Jermaine Sanwo-Olu, the governor’s aide on diaspora, after they arrived at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

The returnees were the second batch of Nigerians who were brought back from South Africa following the recent attacks on foreigners.

Air Peace Airlines, which is evacuating the Nigerians at no cost, had earlier brought back 187 of them.

The second batch of returnees were received by Abike Dabiri-Erewa, chairman, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, and Allen Onyeama, Air Peace’ chief executive officer (CEO).

Sanwo-Olu said the money was a palliative measure for the returnees, and that those of them from Lagos state would be trained in different skills.

Dabiri-Erewa said the returnees would be adequately profiled to complement the federal government’s effort in reintegrating them.

She said apart from giving the returnees stipends to get back to their respective states, there was also a medical team on the ground to provide assistance to those with medical conditions.

Dabiri-Erewa also said the Nigeria high commission was working with the South African authorities to reduce the unnecessary delays which had so far characterised the evacuation exercise.

AIR PEACE PILOTS DECLINE ALLOWANCES AS SHOW OF PATRIOTISM

Speaking, Onyeama said financial difficulties have made it difficult for Nigerians stranded in South Africa over the years to return home.

“What Air Peace is doing to freely evacuate Nigerians from South Africa is part of our support for the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration and we are doing it wholeheartedly,” he said.
“The airline is only asking  the government to do what it has been doing to facilitate the smooth return of the Nigerians.”

Onyeama said the airline is not asking for any refund “because we knew that the cost of evacuating the Nigerians will exceed N300 million at the end of the day”.

“We are so happy that even our pilots and crew that went to South Africa refused to take their allowances saying that it is their own way of showing patriotism.”