Don’t pay flight fares to any private account, minister warns intending evacuees

The Federal Government on Thursday warned Nigerians abroad who desire to be evacuated back home not to pay money to any private account for their flight tickets.

The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyema gave the warning on Thursday during the press briefing by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 in Abuja, adding that they should beware of fraudsters who might want to take advantage of their situation.

According to him, intending evacuees would pay flight fares directly to the accounts of airlines designated for the evacuation process.

The minister was reacting to reports that Nigerians in India were asked to pay their airfares to certain private accounts.

He however said passengers on the flight expected from the UK on Friday paid to an agency in London because the flight was arranged with the assistance of the British Government and it wanted the High Commissioner to be directly responsible.

He said: “We directed every Embassy and Missions to invite Nigerians in those countries to indicate an interest, if they have any, to be evacuated back home and informing them that they will have to pay to the airline that is eventually chosen for the evacuation process.

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“So, our High Commissioner in India is in the process of negotiating with the number of airlines and I will like to inform the members of the National Assembly who raised the issue that Nigerian airlines have been invited too.

“So, they will select the airline and Nigerians interested will pay directly to the airline at the time indicated. Nigerians should not pay to any account. It will always be made to an airline.

“An exception was made to the flight coming in tomorrow (Friday) and that was because it was organised with other government. So, our High Commissioner in London had to outsource the collection of the monies to be paid to the airline because they wanted the High Commissioner himself to be responsible. That was an exception. But in all the other cases, people will be asked to pay directly to accounts of the airlines directly.”

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