NIGERIA HAS EVACUATED 500 PEOPLE TO SYRIA, THE MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS NGOZI OKONJO-IWEALA SAID IN ABUJA FRIDAY, ACCORDING TO DPA. THE EVACUEES INCLUDED 420 NIGERIANS AND 80 BENINESE, ETHIOPIANS, SENEGALESE AND OTHER AFRICANS, SHE SAID, ADDING A NIGERIAN COUPLE HAD BEEN KILLED IN THE HOSTILITIES. NIGERIAN AMBASSADOR TO LEBANON, KABIR SA'ID, WAS ALREADY ARRANGING TICKETS FOR THOSE WILLING TO RETURN HOME. OKONJO-IWEALA SAID 5,000 NIGERIANS WERE RESIDENT IN LEBANON AND 80 NIGERIANS WERE WAITING TO BE EVACUATED FROM BEIRUT.
