Several Europeans Hurriedly Flown Out Of Nigeria Despite Airport Shutdown

No fewer than 188 Europeans were evacuated from Nigeria on Friday through the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja.

The flight was operated by a Boeing 777 aircraft owned by Austrian Airlines, a subsidiary of the Lufthansa Group.

Amongst those on the flight were Germans and Austrians.

The B777 aircraft owned by Austrian Airlines moments before passenger boarding

“A total of 188 passengers were able to travel home from Nigeria’s capital Abuja today. Many thanks to the Austrian Foreign Affairs Ministry for the common support of European citizen wishing to return.


“We are grateful for the cooperation with the Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Federal Ministry of Aviation and other partners in the organization of this essential flight after the closure of Nigerian airports for international flights,” the German Mission in Nigeria stated.

It had been reported that 495 Europeans were evacuated from Nigeria on Thursday through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

Other countries such as the UK, the US and Israel have started evacuating their citizens from Nigeria amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Ministry, Geoffrey Onyeama, said on Friday the foreigners were leaving Nigeria to use their medical facilities which they are familiar with.

The evacuations is coming on the heel of the closure of all international airports by the Federal Government over the Convid-19 Pandemic