Anger builds among Nigerians in India over abandonment

Nigerians in India are boiling in anger after an Air Peace passenger dropped off Indian citizens, but left behind Nigerians stranded in the country for weeks.
“Why do Nigerian rulers treat her citizens so wickedly? one angry resident asked.
Gbade Akanbi in India explains the anger of the stranded to Nigeria Everyday: “A strong appeal was made last week by a well wisher to Mr. President and the Foreign Affairs Minister as well as the COVID PTF on the plight of Nigerians stranded in India.
“The appeal requested Mr President and his team to ensure that the departure of these our brothers and sisters remained May 31. However in a sudden twist, the date was changed to June 4.
“Worse still, the June 4 date was pronounced unrealistic again yesterday by the PTF.
“From May 17 to May 31, and then to June 4 and now to no date at all. Nothing could be more wicked than this!
“Does the PTF and Foreign Affairs Ministry realise what Nigerians are going through by being in India? And as if to add pepper to the injury, the Air Peace flight came on a 10-hour direct flight yesterday from Lagos to Kochi to drop more than 300 Indians and went back leaving her own citizens suffering in India after paying at least N500,000 each to this same Air Peace for a one way ticket.
“All this happened because some individuals in Abuja while enjoying the luxury of their office, decided to abandon the same people who voted them into office.
“The Nigeria Ministry of Foreign Affairs has made the Nigeria High Commission a laughing stock before the people of India. ‘They brought Indians but couldn’t take their own people home, they say’.
“The Nigeria High Commission has applied for landing permit for Air Peace and driver’s permit for her citizens uncountable times. Why are we ridiculing ourselves before the whole world?
“Nigerians who are stranded in India, who have bought flight tickets from Air Peace, and who have done the COVID 19 test in India hereby request all Nigerians to join us in demanding:
1. That we be evacuated to Nigeria unfailingly on June 4, 2020.
2. That whatever protocol delaying our return home must be fast-tracked by the Nigerian government today.
3. That we be evacuated on June 4 because we cannot go for another COVID test again, we are tired of paying bills in India everyday, we are tired of living as beggars in India, we cannot keep applying for visa extension everytime, some of us have health issues needing urgent attention at home, and we want to be at home”.