Governor Ambode Arrives Russia, Pledges To Send Stranded Nigerians Home

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Governor Ambode of Lagos State arrived Russia last night for the World Cup finals between France and Croatia, and one of highlights of his arrival was that he pledged to help send Nigerians stuck in the country home.


Recall that we reported that a Russian NGO alleged that approximately 200 Nigerians are stranded in Moscow and 400 all over Russia. They came during the World Cup games in hopes to find jobs to Moscow, but got disappointed.

Instagram user @iampndgreat who disclosed the promise made by Governor Ambode in his post, wrote;

Not a Political Campaign but just appreciating a good and kind gesture by one of our noble Politicians in Nigeria.

The story goes thus:
I had a pick up arrangement today at the airport in Moscow and had a rare privilege of meeting his excellency, the governor of Lagos State; the most populous and commercial Hub of Nigeria. I quickly introduced myself while I waited for my pick up arrangement to come out. We had a small chat and exchanged knowledge and wisdom while I waited.
He bade me farewell as his pick up arrangement had arrived.
After a few minutes, my pick up arrived as well so we set out to the car park.
As soon as we came out of the airport, I saw a crowd of over 50 Nigerians who had been stranded at the airport for almost 10-15 days now. And in their middle was this same man, His excellency , Governor Ambode. As soon as he sighted me, he quickly called my attention to assist.

It was a pathetic state and a lot of words both pleasant and unpleasant were being exchanged. (Not apportioning blames on anyone )
Then his Excellency did something that amazed me. He showed solidarity and quickly pledged to send all 50 Stranded Nigerians home and assigned me to oversea the transfers and procurement of new tickets to send them home.
As I type this, 19 out of this 50 are already on air to Lagos Nigeria, the remaining 31 are leaving this evening.

His excellency also fed them all as he gave them cash to eat while they waited for their tickets to fly home.
I am only writing this to express my gratitude to a man that has shown that not all politicians are the same.
I am well aware that NFF Officials and some other Senior Government or well to do Nigerians are aware of the situation on ground but are yet to be of help.
Kindly help as much as you can.
Nigeria will only be built or destroyed by Nigerians.
The integrity of our Nation is at stake.
Follow this same example; If you have the well withal.
DISCLAIMER : THIS IS NOT A CAMPAIGN BUT A SIMPLE SHOW OF LIGHT IN THE MIDST OF DARKNESS.
Akinwunmi Ambode

https://lailasnews.com/governor-ambode-arrives-russia-for-world-cup-finals-pledges-to-send-stranded-nigerians-home/

[Edoman]

230 Nigerians stranded in Russia to be repatriated on Friday
[url=http://www.akelicious.net/2018/07/230-nigerians-stranded-in-russia-to-be.html][/url]

                                       
The 230 Nigerians stranded in Russia at the end of the 2018 FIFA World Cup Tournament are to be repatriated on Friday.

The Spokesperson in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dr Tope Elias-Fatile, said on Thursday in Abuja that the stranded Nigerians had been cleared to board an Ethiopian Airline flight to Abuja on Friday.

He said that the repatriation was sequel to the directive of President Muhmmadu Buhari that the stranded Nigerians in Russia be assisted back home with immediate effect.

According to him, the Ministry and Nigerian mission in Moscow in collaboration with the Ministry of Aviation have been monitoring the process of the evacuation.

”As at the last count, over 230 stranded Nigerians had been cleared to board an Ethiopian Airline flight to Abuja.

”The aircraft would depart Domodedovo Airport in Moscow with the stranded Nigerians at 08.30 hours Friday, July, 20th and arrive Abuja at 16.00 hours same day,” he said.

He noted that over 150 stranded Nigerians were among the fans who travelled to the Russian Federation for the 2018 FIFA World Cup tournament that besieged the Embassy of Nigeria in Moscow on July 12th.

The fans according to him, were stranded after the events due to lack of funds for their upkeep as well as allegation that some airline travel agents cancelled return tickets of their customers without their knowledge.

”Consequently, the Mission submitted a formal complaint to host authorities against the airlines that brought the stranded Nigerians to the Russian Federation.

”The Mission also made arrangements for the feeding and accommodation of the stranded Nigerians in hostels around Moscow,” he said.
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He noted that President Mohammadu Buhari had on July 16 directed the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Aviation to evacuate the Nigerians to Abuja immediately.

Fatile said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would continue to monitor the evacuation process and keep the public informed. (NAN)

[Edoman]

155 Nigerians Who Were In Russia Are Back In Abuja
July 21, 2018 NEW

                              
155 out of 230 Nigerian football fans stranded in Russia after the 2018 FIFA World Cup arrived the country on Friday night.

The stranded football fans including a nursing mother in her mid thirties came through Ethiopian Airline flight number ET-ALP that arrived Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport Abuja at about 9.12 p.m on July 20.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Geoffrey Onyeama, who was at the airport to monitor their arrival, lauded President Buhari’s effort to ensure their safe return.

He said that that the President directed that Nigerians, who were stranded in Russia after the 2018 World Cup tournament, should be evacuated immediately.

The minister explained that there was also an allegation that some airline travel agents cancelled return tickets of their customers without informing them.

One of the returnees, Bamidele Fatai was full of praises to President Buhari for making their journey possible. He also thanked the Nigerian Mission in Moscow for giving them necessary support.

Another returnee said he was swindled by an agent who cancelled his return ticket. He said he was in Moscow to support the Nigerian Football Team and to catch fun only to discover that his ticket had been cancelled when he was ready to return home.

[Edoman]

While speaking to journalists on Wednesday in Abuja, a federal government official disclosed that 75 Nigerian World Cup fans who were stranded in Russia have absconded.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says 75 out of 230 stranded Nigerian Football fans absconded in Russia after the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

The ministry’s spokesperson, Dr. Tope Elias-Fatile, told the News Agency of Nigeria on Wednesday in Abuja that the fans absconded despite government’s efforts to repatriate them.

Fatile said that 230 stranded Nigerian football fans were profiled to board chartered Ethiopian Airline to Abuja but at the last minute, only 155 boarded the flight.

“As at the last count, over 230 stranded Nigerians had been cleared to board an Ethiopian Airline flight to Abuja; however, only 155 boarded the flight that arrived Friday night of July 22,” he said.

He said that the ministry officials had to contribute to feed some of the stranded Nigerians in Moscow as many of them were left with nothing.

He said that though they had the rights not to come back but it would be better for them to return because of the unfavorable weather in that country.

He said that the mission had done a lot to facilitate their coming back but they did not appreciate it.

”Do you know that the officials at mission have to sacrifice their earning by contributing money to feed the stranded fans,” he said.

He said that if, however, they repented and decided to come back, the ministry was ever ready to assist them.

Fatile said that Federal Government was ever willing to assist Nigerians at anytime, anywhere in the world

The spokesperson said that the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Geoffrey Onyeama, had also made some contacts with relevant agencies to commence investigation into suspected human trafficking in the case.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the stranded football fans including a nursing mother in her mid-thirties arrived Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport Abuja at about 9.12 p.m. on July 20.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Geoffrey Onyeama, who was at the airport to monitor their arrival, had said that the Federal Government was going to probe the case.

He said that government had resolved to investigate suspected human trafficking in the case of the Nigerian football fans, who got stranded in Russia after the World Cup tournament.

Onyeama said that the plan to probe the issue surrounding the incident was underway.

He said after a discussion with the Director-General of National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, Ms Julie Okah–Donli, it was clear that there were possible cases of human trafficking among the returnees.

“I have spoken to the D-G of NAPTIP and she had also indicated that they had sounded the alarm bells for these young children not to leave the country, that it had all the hallmarks of trafficking and irregular migration,” he said.

The minister insisted that some of them, among who was a nursing mother, were quite too young to have travelled to Russia by themselves solely for the purpose of the World Cup tournament.

He added that an investigation would also be launched into an allegation that some travel agents cancelled the return tickets of the football fans without informing them, leaving them stranded in the European country.

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See More Photos Below...
75 Stranded World Cup Fans Escape In Russia
Source: https://www.nigeriapen.com.ng/despite-fgs-intervention-75-stranded-world-cup-fans-absconded-in-russia/[/size]