Three US
Consulate-organised chartered flights operated by Delta Air Lines and Ethiopian
Airlines repatriated 850 American citizens from the Murtala Mohammed
International Airport, Lagos, to the United States from April 6 to 8.
The United States
Mission in Nigeria has helped 997 Americans return home to reunite with family
and friends following the COVID-19 outbreak in the country.
Three US
Consulate-organised chartered flights operated by Delta Air Lines and Ethiopian
Airlines repatriated 850 American citizens from the Murtala Mohammed
International Airport, Lagos, to the United States from April 6 to 8.
This is in addition
to the 147 United States citizens, who departed Abuja on April 4.
United States Consul
General, Claire Pierangelo, noted that in times of emergency, the United States
Department of State has no greater priority than the safety and security of US
citizens overseas.
She said, “This has
been three weeks in the making. We had more than 50 people working on this on a
daily basis to make sure that we can find the Americans, get the planes, secure
flight clearances for the planes to land here and also ensure safe passage of
the Americans traveling to the airport since the city is on lockdown.
“It was an enormous
effort and I am incredibly proud of my team. We appreciate all the help from
our Nigerian partners. We couldn’t have done this without them.”
Pierangelo noted
that US Mission remains committed to working closely with the Government of
Nigeria and the various health authorities to keep everyone healthy and safe
amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The US Government
has pledged more than $7m in health and humanitarian funding to Nigeria in
response to the pandemic that will go toward risk communication, water and
sanitation activities, infection prevention, and coordination.
This assistance
joins more than $5.2bn in health assistance and more than $8.1bn in total
assistance for Nigeria over the past 20 years.
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