The Chairman, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, on Friday said Nigerians who stayed back in Poland after fleeing the Russian aggression in Ukraine were warned of the consequences of staying in the European country.
Dabiri-Erewa added that the government made adequate arrangements for the evacuation of the Nigerians.
The NIDCOM boss who tweeted via her official Twitter handle, @abikedabiri, said, “There is no extra expenditure. With @Mbuhari’s directive and a govt team led by @GeoffreyOnyeama, arrangements were made for all who wanted to return. Some stayed back and are now being kept in tortoise centres in Poland. They were warned.
“But the right thing for the country to do is deport them rather than keep them in detention centres, though they were warned of the consequences”.
Saturday PUNCH had earlier reported how the Russian aggression in Ukraine had led to a series of tension.
It had also been reported how students in Ukraine who were of Nigerian descent had sent SOS messages to the government of Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.).
At the beginning of Russia’s full-scale war on Ukraine, Nigerians were initially told to be responsible for their own safety and security, according to a statement by the Nigerian Embassy in Ukraine.
However, following outrage from Nigerians, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and NiDCOM stepped in to begin preparations to provide safety to Nigerians who could find their way to neighbouring countries such as Poland, Hungary, and Romania.
Coordinating with the embassies in those countries, Nigerians escaping the war were allowed safe passage after facing initial difficulties from border control.
The National Assembly also called for the immediate evacuation of Nigerians stranded in Ukraine, prompting the Federal Government to partner with private airlines to begin evacuating them.
Buhari approved over $8.5m for the evacuation of over 5,000 Nigerians stranded in Ukraine, most of whom were students.
Following the evacuation from Ukraine, Onyeama had said students who were evacuated would be able to continue their education in other European countries.
Some of the students in separate interviews with this newspaper had expressed uncertainties over the continuation of their education which was put on hold as a result of the Russian aggression.
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