Sudan: 2,518 evacuees arrive in Nigeria on 15 flights

A total of 2,518 Nigerian evacuees have arrived in Nigeria in 15 flights from war-torn Sudan, Sunday PUNCH learnt.

Our correspondent learnt that the 15th flight with 147 Nigerian returnees was the last batch of Nigerians airlifted from Port Sudan.

No fewer than 1,108 Nigerians fleeing the insurrection in Sudan but got stranded at the Egyptian border were evacuated while 1,406 others were evacuated from Port Sudan.

The first and second batches of evacuees, numbering 282 and 94, arrived on Wednesday night (May 3) from Egypt via an Air Peace and the Nigerian Air Force CI30 flights, respectively.

The third batch of 130 evacuees arrived on Friday, May 5 from Port Sudan via Tarco Air, while the fourth batch of 131 evacuees arrived on Saturday, May 6 from Port Sudan via Tarco Air.

The fifth, sixth and seventh batches of 834 evacuees arrived Sunday, May 7 from Egypt and Port Sudan via Max Air (410 evacuees), Azman Air (322); and Tarco Air (102).

 Our correspondent learnt that the eighth batch of 133 evacuees arrived on Monday, May 8 from Port Sudan via Tarco Air, while the ninth and 10th batches of 126 and 126 Nigerians arrived on Tuesday, May 9 via Tarco Air from Port Sudan.

The 11th batch arrived on Wednesday, May 10 with 128 returnees via Tarco Air from Port Sudan. Also, 135 and 123 Nigerians made up the 12th and 13th batches of evacuees that arrived from Port Sudan on May 11.

On Saturday, the 14th and 15th batches arrived with 125 and 147 Nigerian returnees via Tarco Air from Port Sudan.