In a document seen by SaharaReporters, the High Commission of Nigeria office in New Delhi, India, said the government can no longer bear the responsibilities of the evacuees on arrival in Nigeria.
Stranded Nigerians in India, who have indicated interest in returning home on account of COVID-19, will have to pay for flight, accommodation and feeding before they can be evacuated to Nigeria.
In a document seen by SaharaReporters, the High Commission of Nigeria office in New Delhi, India, said the government can no longer bear the responsibilities of the evacuees on arrival in Nigeria.
The document signed by I.A Alatise reads, “Henceforth, the evacuees will be responsible for their accommodation and feeding during the period of quarantine.
“Furthermore, evacuees are to pay for these at the time of paying for their tickets in order for the airline to admit them on the flight.
“The expenses involved are as follows: accommodation N15,000 x 16 days = N240,000, feeding N3600 x 16 days = N57,600, total N18,600 x 16 days = 297,600.”
In another document, the evacuees are asked to pay between N568,100 and N830,300 for flight depending on the class of seat on the aircraft they choose.
According to the document, ticket price for those to fly economy class costs $1300, business class: $1700, while those intending to fly first class will have to pay $1,900, all at the rate of N437 per dollar.
When computed together, willing evacuees will have to pay between N865,700 and N1,127,900 for the total package before they are airlifted back home to Nigeria.
Air Peace has been scheduled to evacuate persons willing to return to Nigeria from India.
Air Peace Letter to New Delhi by Sahara Reporters on Scribd
Earlier on Thursday, SaharaReporters had reported how Nigerians in Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Thailand, who have indicated interest in returning home on account of the Coronavirus pandemic, were asked to pay N297,000 for accommodation, feeding by government before evacuation home.
The situation has since generated a heated debate among citizens, who have continued to lambast the Nigerian Government of acting irresponsibly at a crisis period like this when every nation was trying to make life easier for its people.
[story_link align="right"]80858[/story_link]