Nigerian govt evacuates 69 stranded, trafficked Nigerians from Lebanon

Fifty trafficked girls and 19 stranded Nigerians arrived from Lebanon on Sunday night.

Announcing this on Twitter on Monday, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, said their evacuation was at the expense of the Lebanese authorities.

He appreciated the Lebanese Government and the Lebanese community in Nigeria for their support in the evacuation process.

He stated, “With the financial and logistic support of the Lebanese Government and Lebanese community in Nigeria, 50 trafficked Nigerian girls and 19 stranded Nigerians were successfully evacuated from Lebanon and arrived in Nigeria today (Sunday).”

“Profound gratitude to Ambassador Houssam Diad, Lebanese Ambassador in Nigeria and Ambassador Goni Zannabura, Nigerian Ambassador in Lebanon,” the minister added.

The evacuees were expected to be quarantined for 14 days in line with the protocol aimed at containing the spread of COVID-19.

The MFA spokesman,  Ferdinand Nwonye,  could not confirm whether a lady, Busari Peace, put up for sale on Facebook for $1,000 by a Lebanese, Wael Jerro, was among the returnees. Punch