The second batch of Nigerians fleeing the insurrection in Sudan are expected to arrive Nigeria on Friday from Egypt, where they got stranded, The PUNCH learnt.

The first batch of the evacuees, numbering 376, arrived Nigeria on Wednesday night after spending seven days at the Arqeen border of Khartoum, Sudan.

An Air Peace plane, which airlifted 282 evacuees, landed in Nigeria at 11:35pmon Wednesday, while NAF C130 arrived 11:55pm with 94 evacuees.

However, the Nigerian Ambassador to Egypt, Nura Rimi, said on Thursday that, “Ninety-five Nigerian students from Borno State have been moved from Wadi Halfa to the Egyptian side of the border.

“They are to be evacuated by the Azman Aircraft together with other students already processed.

“The rest of the students waiting at the two border crossings (Wadi Halfa and Arqeen) will be evacuated by tomorrow Friday barring any hitches.”

The second batch of stranded Nigerians arrived Port Sudan on Tuesday for airlifting to Nigeria

The Federal Government on Wednesday night said four aircraft were made available to evacuate  Nigerians from Sudan.

The Chairman, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, noted that the four airplanes could move at once and “everyone would definitely arrive,” adding that another 3,000 stranded Nigerians were expected to return home.

According to Dabiri-Erewa, Egypt officials insist that the airplanes sent from Nigeria must be able to take the number of Nigerians available, otherwise they will not be allowed to evacuate anyone

“If four planes go at the same time, they will bring everybody back. Most importantly, we hope those over there come back speedily.

“We are expecting that with the arrangements made by NEMA, it is going to be more planes because Egypt makes it difficult.

“Egypt says if the number of people you brought is let’s say 200 and the aircraft can only take 150, then nobody will leave.

“They want you to pick the number of people that you are bringing into their borders

At the Port Sudan, we are trying to get tickets because it is even more difficult to get flight to Port Sudan but they have an airline.”

Meanwhile, the management of Max Air announced that it would be evacuating 560 stranded Nigerians in Sudan from Egypt.

The airline disclosed this in a statement via its official Instagram handle obtained by our correspondent on Thursday.

“We are pleased to announce that Max Air, would be sending our Boeing 747-400 aircraft to evacuate 560 Nigerians who fled from the crisis-stricken Sudan and are now in Egypt.

“As a Nigerian airline, we must do all that we can to help our fellow citizens in times of crisis.

“Our mission has always been to connect Nigerians to their loved ones, and we will continue to do so even in the most challenging times