Onyeama made this known via his twitter handle @GeoffreyOnyeama on Friday as he gave an update on the evacuation process.

“@EGYPTAIR conveying Nationals from Cairo, #Egypt has departed for Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja,” Onyeama twitted.

The 270 evacuees will be tested on return and would embark on the mandatory 14-day quarantine and isolation where necessary.

Onyeama, while appearing on News Agency of Nigeria Forum, also disclosed that the Federal Government was going to evacuate more Nigerians willing to return home.

The Foreign Affairs Ministry has succeeded in evacuating several stranded Nigerians in the wake of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

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The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, made this known on Thursday when he spoke with journalists after a meeting with the Senate Committee on Diaspora in Abuja.

Onyeama spoke against the background of the report that the South African government said nothing provided for compensation.

The minister said Nigeria would challenge the position of the South African government on that.

He said that no compensation was paid in the past, but this time around the government would insist.

His words:  “This is a very important issue because the South African government has been reported as saying that nothing provides for them really to provide compensation.

“That they will have to resort to insurance companies or that kind of private arrangement. We as a government are going to challenge that. In the past, no compensation was paid to these people. For us, it is something we have to insist upon.”

The minister said the government along with the senators was considering measures to ensure that Nigerians did not suffer a similar fate in the future.

“We are particularly determined that these crises will not recur. It has been happening for far too long and has become almost endemic.

“With the distinguished Senators, we are looking at all the options we have to ensure this will be the last time we will ever meet to talk about Nigerians attacked in South Africa and to take definitive measures. But we will start doing that once we have the facts and we will take the necessary measures,” Onyeama stated.

The minister also spoke on the possibility of severing relationship with South Africa over the current issue.

According to him, the action of the government would depend on the outcome of the meeting of the special envoy sent by the president to South Africa.

Said he:  “There are various options. We will wait for the envoy to come back. There are different measures to be taken at diplomatic level without necessarily cutting off diplomatic ties, but we want Mr President’s decision to be informed after accessing all the facts.

“The way the South African government reacts will also be very important in helping us decide what we need to do.”

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Onyeama made this known in Abuja on Wednesday when he assumed office following his reappointment as Minister of Foreign Affairs.

He said that his focus would be in line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s agenda which aims to make to make the Nigerian economy to be reckoned with at the ECOWAS, African Union, and global level.

Onyeama said that in implementing foreign policies, the ministry would be more aggressive and robust in engaging countries to ensure that the human rights and security of Nigerians anywhere in the world were respected.

He said that to that effect, a call number would be made available to Nigerians living abroad to enable them to call and ask for assistance wherever they were.

Speaking on the attacks on Nigerians in South Africa, Onyeama said that both countries would work on growing a special relationship between them at the presidential level.

He explained that in the framework, the issue of the security of Nigerians in South Africa would be addressed at the  highest level.

Onyeama said that there was also a trust deficit between Nigerians living in South Africa and the South African Police.

He said that it was important to get both parties to work together toward addressing the issue.

“Essentially, the priorities of Mr President is what we have to focus on and build from which are security, anti-corruption and the economy.

“We have just signed to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AFCTA) and this can be a game changer for the continent and with 200 million people, we really would define the success of the AFCTA.

“So, we are going to have to cooperate and coordinate with the Ministry of Trade and Investment to ensure that we get maximum benefits from African integration.

”Another important area of Mr President’s priority would be repatriation of looted funds across the world, engaging with countries to get all the stolen funds returned to us.

“And at the Multilateral level, at the UN level, we are going to be President of the UN General Assembly for one year, starting from September.

“We have to leverage on that position to secure as much benefit at the global level for Nigeria,” Onyeama said.

Onyeama called for the support of members of staff of the ministry so that they could all work together to achieve the visions of President Buhari for a greater Nigeria.

Also speaking, Amb. Zubairu Dada, Minister of State, Foreign Affairs, pledged his support to work with the minister and staff of the ministry .

“We are supposed to work as a team because that is the mandate that has been given to us and we can only succeed if we put our hands together.

“In me you find a ready student, back to do some re-learning and I would urge you all to be kind enough to allow me learn from you,” Dada said.

Source:  NAN

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Onyeama said this on Monday, in Abuja, after a joint ministerial meeting with his Agriculture and Rural Development counterpart, Audu Ogbeh, over cross border issues.

The joint ministerial meeting was held in preparation for the forthcoming tripartite anti-smuggling committee meeting comprising Nigeria, Benin, and Niger Republic.

Also at the meeting were the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Mohammed Babandede, and the Comptroller-General of Customs, Colonel Hameed Ali.

The minister expressed the current administration’s determination to holistically address the issues by working with neighbouring countries.

Onyeama said that the current efforts aimed at tackling smuggling in the borders of the affected countries would yield results.

“I think the political will is really there now to finally and definitively address this issue,” Onyeama stated.

According to him, President Muhammadu Buhari has set up a committee comprising the ministries of Foreign Affairs, Agriculture, Justice, Finance and Interior; as well as the Nigeria Immigration Service and the Nigeria Customs Service over the issue.

“He has also asked the governments of Niger and Benin to set up similar committees in the two countries and to also meet.

“So, we are planning to have a meeting of those committees in the very near future.

“This is a preparatory meeting between us to revisit all the issues, come up with a common position and present that to Mr President so that we can have a basis for engaging with those other countries,’’ Onyeama said.

On his part, Ogbeh said the meeting, under the chairmanship of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, discussed issues on the nation’s borders, particularly on security and how they affected local economic activities.

“Mr President has asked us to send in some recommendations. I think we are done.

“We are recommending that we deploy all the diplomatic channels according to the agreements we had before to reach a situation where we can bring to an end, issues which are not in line with our policy and our survival,” he said.

He said that the perennial insecurity in the country, weapons coming into the country and smuggling, necessitated the meeting.

“We just want to take steps to make sure that we increase security and make Nigerians happier,’’ Onyeama said.

Source:  NAN

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It therefore warned them to avoid any action that could bring about political, sectional and religious crises and divides.

The warning was given by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday.

In a statement issued by the spokesman of the ministry,  Mr George Edokpa, it also condemned the remarks by the United States, the United Kingdom and the European Union on the suspension of Justice Walter Onnoghen as the Chief Justice of Nigeria.

“The various statements, especially of those referred to above, appear prejudicial and signify alignment with the opposition and endorsement of its position that the ruling party.

“And, by extension the Federal Government of Nigeria, is working on rigging the forthcoming elections in Nigeria.

“These statements also portend tolerance for corrupt acts and downplay the anti-corruption crusade of the Buhari Administration, knowing fully that the suspended CJN had not denied the charges against him.

“Also, probity requires of him to step aside while the case is under scrutiny,” the statement reads in part.

Describing the president as a man of integrity, the government said it was improper to think that he would suspend the CJN for political reasons.

“He remains a man of integrity, who has severally pledged free and fair elections.

“It is therefore absurd to presume that the suspension of the CJN is geared towards rigging the forthcoming elections in favour of the ruling party.

“For the avoidance of doubt, be it known that on three occasions that Mr. President went to court, as a presidential candidate and lost his case, in 2013, 2011 and 2007.

“The presiding judges at the Supreme Court were all northerners and Muslims: Justice Muhammad Lawal Uwais, Idris Lebo Kutigi and Dahiru Mustapha respectively,” the statement reads in part.

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