Rabat – Morocco’s Embassy in Lagos has facilitated the repatriation of 20 Moroccans stranded in Nigeria. The repatriation flight, operated by Royal Air Maroc, landed in Morocco on Thursday, July 30.
The group of Moroccans remained in Nigeria for four and a half months, since Morocco closed its international borders in mid-March. The repatriated Moroccans include several pregnant women.
The repatriation operation came on the eve of Eid al-Adha, allowing the group to spend the religious holiday with their relatives.
At their arrival, the citizens expressed their thanks to King Mohammed VI, especially as the flight coincided with Throne Day—the anniversary of the King’s ascension to the throne.
Despite the government’s decision to allow Moroccans to enter their country, the group in Nigeria were unable to travel home due to the unavailability of flights linking Morocco to the West African country.
The group were among more than 33,000 Moroccans who found themselves stranded abroad after the border closure.
Morocco began repatriating citizens in late May, after more than two and a half months of closed borders. The Moroccan government financed repatriation flights for Moroccans in more than 20 countries.
However, the repatriation operations slowed down after Morocco reopened its international borders for Moroccan citizens, residents, and their families. The decision allows Moroccans stranded abroad to fly back to Morocco, at their own expense, after undergoing COVID-19 tests.
Since the decision, thousands of Moroccans have returned to their country every day. However, Moroccans stranded in countries without flights to Morocco, such as Nigeria, or those in difficult financial situations remain unable to come home.
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