Israeli has evacuated 274 of its citizens from Nigeria following the increasing number of coronavirus cases in the country.
The Israelis were evacuated by an Air Peace airline from the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja to Israel.
The evacuation process was overseen by the Deputy Chief of Mission at the Israeli Embassy in Abuja, Mr. Yotam Kreiman.
Speaking to newsmen at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, Kreiman stated that the evacuation became necessary due to the global increase in cases of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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65 Israeli passengers were airlifted from the Lagos airport and 209 passengers from the Abuja airport on board flights operated by Air Peace Boeing 777-300 with registration number 5N-BWI.
Air Peace Chairman and CEO, Mr. Allen Onyema called the evacuation “historic’ because it was the first time a Nigeria owned airline is making a direct flight to Israel on the request of the Israeli government.
“It is a historic day for both Nigeria and Israel. History has been made today. 60 years of diplomatic relations, no direct flight has been conducted between Nigeria and Israel till today. So this is the first time Nigeria and Israel will have direct air connectivity,” he said.
