The Lagos State government has dolled out N20,000 in cash to each of the South African returnees upon their arrival to the country.
The returnees, 315 in number, arrived at the Cargo Wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos at 7.21 p.m aboard an Air Peace B777 aircraft with registration number 5N-BWI. They were received by Mrs. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission and Air Peace Chairman, Mr. Allen Onyema.
While presenting the money on behalf of the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Jermaine Sanwo-Olu, said the money was a palliative measure for the returnees, as he also mentioned that the returnees would be transferred to the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund, where they would be trained on skill acquisition.
Speaking on the evacuation process, the Air Peace Chairman, Mr. Allen Onyema, said; “What Air Peace is doing to freely evacuate Nigerians from South Africa as part of our support for the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration and we are doing it wholeheartedly.
“The airline is only asking the government to do what it has been doing to facilitate the smooth return of the Nigerians.
“We are 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”
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