Onyeama's position is in contrast with the directive issued by the ministry on April 2, 2020 asking all its missions abroad to compile a list of Nigerians willing to come back home.
Nigeria's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, has said that the country does not have the capacity or resources to evacuate all Nigerians abroad willing to return home at this time of COVID-19 outbreak across the world.
Onyeama's position is in contrast with the directive issued by the ministry on April 2, 2020 asking all its missions abroad to compile a list of Nigerians willing to come back home.
Chairman, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, had also said the ministry would leave no stone unturned in ensuring that all Nigerians willing to return home were evacuated.
Speaking on a programme on Channels TV on Tuesday, Onyeama said, “It is not as simple as people think.
“We just don’t have the capacity and resources to absorb all of them immediately, so we would have to probably do it in stages.
“Some people are of the opinion that tests should be carried out before they leave. We know in some countries, it is difficult to get testing done, but hopefully, we would be in a position to start sending out planes in a matter of days.
“It is not as simple as people think it is. We have to make provision for isolation centres for them in Nigeria here, where they would be isolated for 14 days.”