Aviation ministry steps in and flies another of the 152 stranded fans back from Russia

GOVERNMENT officials have evacuated 152 out of the over 230 Nigerians who were stranded in Russia at the end of the World Cup after the agents who sold them tickets failed to supply them with return flights to Nigeria.

Despite Nigeria having being eliminated from the tournament early on, these fans were unable to return home and slept like destitutes on the streets of Russian cities. Apparently, fraudsters tricked hundreds of fans by selling them bogus World Cup fan passes but the return tickets were not honoured, making it impossible for them to leave.

Russian charity Alternativa said it had helped about 50 Nigerians stranded in Russia and estimated there were about 200 in difficulty overall. Lagos State governor Akinwunmi Ambode, also helped 50 of them return to Nigeria and the Federal Ministry of Aviation has now stepped in to assist the remaining of them.

These latest 152 fans boarded an Ethiopian aircraft this morning and are expected to arrive in Abuja later this evening. This evacuation, carried out by Nigeria's aviation ministry followed a directive issues by President Muhammadu Buhari himself that the fans should be brought back home immediately.

Aviation ministry spokesman Tope Elias-Fatile, said that over 230 stranded fans had been cleared to board an Ethiopian Airline flight to Abuja. He added that the aircraft arrived in Moscow from Addis Ababa at 13.20 on Thursday and departed from Domodedovo Airport in Moscow at 08.30 this morning.

For over a week now, the stranded football fans had besieged the Nigerian embassy in

Moscow since July 12 claiming they were defrauded of their return tickets. They alleged that some airline travel agents cancelled their return tickets without their knowledge.

Mr Elias-Fatile added: “Consequently, the Nigerian mission submitted a formal complaint to the host authorities against the airlines that brought the stranded Nigerians to the Russian Federation, especially those without return tickets and highlighted that it contravened the rules and regulations of the International Air Transport Association. The mission also made arrangements for the feeding and accommodation of the stranded Nigerians in hostels around Moscow.”