Yemisi Izuora
About 200 Nigerians stranded in Canada will be airlifted back to Nigeria, by Air Peace Airline.
The Nigeria High Commission in Canada said that the stranded persons, because of the COVID-19 travel restrictions would be airlifted on Thursday, May 14.
A Boeing 777 aircraft operated by Air Peace had been specially arranged to bring back the returnees on Thursday.
It noted that it could be the only special evacuation flight for Nigerian nationals stranded in Canada due to the coronavirus pandemic.
It said the aircraft would pick up the prospective passengers from two airports located in Toronto and Alberta.
According to the flight schedule, the aircraft is expected to pick the first set from the Pearson International Airport, Toronto.
From there it will fly to the Calgary International Airport, Alberta, a distance of 2,915 kilometres to airlift the second set of passengers.
The aircraft will depart Alberta for the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, where the evacuees would be moved into isolation for 14 days.
The one-way flight will cost each prospective evacuee between 1,130 dollars (N452, 000) and 2,000 dollars (N800, 000) depending on the class.
It would be recalled that the special evacuation programme began last Wednesday, May 6 with the return of 265 Nigerians from the United Arab Emirates by Emirates Airline.
On Friday May 8, 2019, 253 were flown back from the United Kingdom by British Airways, followed by 160 from the United States on Sunday by Ethiopian Airways..
So far, 678 Nigerians have been evacuated by the federal government.