Covid-19: FG approves another flight to evacuate Nigerians stranded in US

The Federal Government has approved another evacuation flight to enable Nigerians stranded in the United States amid the coronavirus pandemic return home.

The Consulate General of Nigeria, New York, announced this in a statement, noting that the flight has been scheduled for July 17.

It said the flight would take-off from the Newark Liberty International Airport, New Jersey, and arrive at the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja.

The statement partly read, “The Federal Government of Nigeria has approved a 3rd evacuation flight for stranded Nigerians in the USA, which will be Ethiopian Airlines, Flight No. ET509 scheduled to depart Newark Liberty International Airport, New Jersey on Friday, July 17, 2020 by 2115hrs and arrive Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja by 1325hrs on Saturday, July 18, 2020.


“Consequently, all prospective evacuees, duly registered with any of the three Nigerian Missions in the USA, should purchase their one-way ticket on Ethiopian Airlines’ website at the cost of USD1,250 for Economy and USD2,800 for Business Class.”

The Consulate stressed that evacuees would observe the repatriation protocols put in place by the Presidential Task Force on Covid-19.

It said returnees must test negative for Covid-19 before departure and would be made to undergo mandatory 14 days self-isolation and take another Covid-19 test upon arrival in Nigeria.

A total of 160 Nigerians had been evacuated from the US on May 10 while the second evacuation flight has been fixed from the Newark Airport to the Murtala Muhammed International Airport for July 3.