* Returnees to remain in isolation centres for 14 days 鈹�NCDC

Alexander Davis | 绿帽献妻

About 160 Nigerians said to be stranded in the United States (US), following the outbreak of Coronavirus (COVID-19) and subsequent lockdown have returned to the country.

绿帽献妻 reports that Boeing 787 Ethiopian Airlines plane conveying the returnees from the Newark Liberty International Airport, in New Jersey, United States, touched down at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, FCT, at about 11.a.m. Sunday, May 10.

Recall that the Federal Government recently commenced the evacuation of several hundreds of stranded Nigerians willing to return home from various countries of the world over sequel to the outbreak of the pandemic.

In an earlier update by the government had stated that a total of 160 Nigerians would be transported back to Nigeria Sunday morning.

They comprise 92 males, 60 females, and eight infants.

Mr. Geoffrey Onyeama, Honourable Minister for Foreign Affairs, in a tweet@GeoffreyOnyeama on Sunday, confirmed that 160 Nigerians had returned safely to the country.

Onyeama said: 鈥淓T Flight 8509 conveying 160 Nigerian evacuees from the #US has safely arrived Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.鈥�

Upon arrival in Abuja, the government had stationed five luxury buses and a coaster bus at the airport to move the returnees to isolation centres as soon as they disembarked from the plane.

The exercise was said to have been conducted by the health and airport officials among others on the ground to receive the returning travellers.

According to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) guidelines, the returning Nigerians are expected to be in isolation for 14 days to be tested for COVID-19.

The passports of all 160 passengers were kept with the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) for the period, report said.