COVID-19: US evacuates 44,000 Americans from Nigeria and 77 other countries

The United States Government on Tuesday gave an update on the evacuation of its citizens in Nigeria and other countries amid the COVID-19 global crisis.

According to a ‘Fact Sheet on Repatriation of American Citizens from Nigeria’ made available to journalists, the U.S Embassy said the Department of State’s priority was the safety and security of all citizens overseas.

“We are rising to meet the historic challenge posed by the COVID-19 epidemic, every day, all over the world”, it noted.

The sheet disclosed that as of April 6, over 44,000 U.S. citizens in Nigeria and 77 other nations have been repatriated.

The countries are Albania, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Bangladesh, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Chad, China, Colombia, Congo (DRC), Cote d’Ivoire, Cyprus, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea.

Others are Ethiopia, France, Gabon, Ghana, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, India, Iraq, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kosovo, Kuwait, Lebanon, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Pakistan, Panama.

Also on the list are Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, Uruguay, and Uzbekistan.

The document assured that U.S. Embassies and Consulates were working tirelessly to identify transportation options for Americans seeking to return home.

“The U.S. Mission to Nigeria is organizing evacuation flights for American citizens who desire to return to the United States, now that commercial flights are no longer available. The flights will depart from Lagos and Abuja.

“American citizens who have expressed a desire to depart on these flights are being contacted by our Consular staff. Bearing in mind, that space on the flights is limited, no one should come to the airport if they have not been contacted.”