The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) received 191 Nigerians stuck in India on Friday.
The returnees, which NEMA had evacuated on behalf of the Federal Government, arrived at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja at 4:40 p.m. on an Ethiopian Airlines chartered flight.
After being profiled and screened, they were received by a team led by NEMA and other relevant agencies.
The people who came back were then given a gift of $100 to help them get back home.
Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development, Sadiya Farouq extended a warm welcome to the returnees in her official capacity.
Dr Suleiman Abubakar, a deputy director at the ministry and a representative of the minister, urged them to follow the rules.
She explained that the government token was designed to facilitate their return journey.
Mustapha Ahmed, Director-General of NEMA, likewise urged the repatriates to mature as law-abiding citizens due to their ordeals.
Ahmed, who was not present but was represented by the Deputy Director of Search and Rescue, Mr Ishaya Chonoko, said that the Federal Government had approved the evacuation to help the Nigerians stranded abroad.
Mr Iwuchukwu Gospel, speaking on behalf of the other evacuees, expressed gratitude to the Federal Government for intervening to ensure their safe return.
“We thank the government for bringing us back, though I went there some months back, and when I got there, I saw that Nigeria was better than where I went.
“I made up my mind that I am coming back, but I want to plead with the Federal Government to help bring others back,” he added.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the returning citizens were welcomed by representatives from NEMA, the Nigerian Police, the Nigerian Immigration Service, the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants, and Internally Displaced Citizens, NAPTIP, NiDCom, and NDLEA.