from Saudi Arabia arrived at the Nnamid Azikiwe
International Airport, Abuja, today.
The deportees reportedly arrived in the country on board an Ethiopian Airline plane at about noon.
Mr Daniel Obot, the Assistant Director, Relief and
Rehabilitation, National Emergency Management
Agency (NEMA), told newsmen at the Airport that
the deportees were part of the 508 Nigerians
residing illegally in Saudi Arabia.
He said the Federal Government approved their
repatriation after they voluntarily agreed to return
home, adding that they would be handed over to
officials of their State Emergency Management
Agency after due clearance.
Also speaking to newsmen, the Director Consular
and Immigration Services in the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs, Mr Abdulazeez Dan-Kano, said the 80
deportees were from eight states of the country.
Dan-Kano said that 31 of the deportees are from
Kano State, 19 from
Borno, three from Bauchi State and eight from
Jigawa.
Similarly, he said that seven of the deportees are
from Yobe, two from Plateau, nine from Katsina
State and one from Nasarawa State.
Dan-Kano said that those deported were mainly
women, children and the sick.
He said that more deportees were expected to
arrive in the country on Thursday.
Dan Kano said that the deportees indicated their
interest to return to Nigeria following a November
deadline issued by the Saudi Authorities for all
illegal immigrants to leave the country.
He said that 951 other Nigerians arrested by the
Saudi authorities were being held in a camp in the
country, and that they would return home at the
instance of the Saudi government.
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