JUST IN: First batch of Nigerians arrive from Ukraine

Friends and family members back home can now heave a sigh of relief as some Nigerians who escaped from Ukraine due to the ongoing war have returned to the country.

The first batch of Nigerians evacuated from Poland arrived at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja at 7:11 am on Friday via Max Air.

The federal government had, on Wednesday, approved $8.5 million for the immediate evacuation of 5,000 Nigerians stranded as a result of the Russian-Ukraine war.

The federal government had earlier scheduled the arrival of the first batch of evacuees for Thursday.

However, hours earlier, the flight was rescheduled.

The evacuees were received at the airport in Abuja by Edward Adedokun, director of search and rescue of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA); officials of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), and National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

A total of 411 evacuates and consular staff arrived Nigeria.