No fewer than 155 Nigerians stranded in Russia after the 2018 World Cup have been returned to Nigeria, courtesy of the federal government.
They arrived Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja Friday night through Ethiopian Airline flight number ET-ALP.
Among the stranded fans was a nursing mother who is in her mid-thirties.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Geoffrey Onyeama, was at the airport to monitor their arrival.
The evacuation followed the directive by President Muhammadu Buhari that the 230 Nigerians stranded in Russia after the 2018 World Cup brought back home.
READ ALSO: World Cup: FG evacuates 230 stranded Nigerians in Russia
They had stormed the Nigerian embassy in Moscow on July 12 to complain about their plight with some claiming that they were swindled by travel agents.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs had earlier spoken about the plan to bring the stranded football fans back to Nigeria on Friday.
In a statement issued by its spokesman, Dr. Tope Elias-Fatile, the Ministry said: “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.”
