The federal government has explained how it arrived at $1.2m to evacuate stranded Nigerians from Sudan.
Geoffery Onyeama, minister of foreign affairs, had on Wednesday said all 40 buses that would be used to transport Nigerians from Sudan cost about $1.2 million.
The minister said the high cost of the evacuation was to provide security cover for the Nigerians’ journey to the Egyptian borders.
Defending the cost, FG in a joint statement released on Saturday, the ministries of foreign affairs and humanitarian affairs, described the criticism as “uncalled for”.
They said the negotiation by the government was according to the condition of war “and where there are competing demands for the same bus services by other countries also trying to evacuate their citizens”.
“The general public is also advised to discountenance unverified information being circulated on social media as some of them are either due to ignorance or sheer mischief,” the statement reads.
“The outcry over the negotiated sum of $1.2 million for the buses hired for the exercise, is uncalled for.
“The amount in question was negotiated in a condition of war and where there are competing demands for the same bus services by other countries also trying to evacuate their citizens.
“Therefore, the cooperation and understanding of all and sundry are required to complement ongoing efforts aimed at ensuring the safe return of every Nigerian trapped in Sudan.”
The federal government disclosed that the first batch of 13 buses which conveyed 637 evacuees had safely arrived the Egyptian border adding they are currently undergoing neccesary documentation and clearance before admission into the Egyptian territory where they are expected to eventually leave for Nigeria
It further noted that the second phase of the evacuation exercise is expected to continue today.
“The evacuees are advised to be at the designated locations only one luggage.”
While debunking the report of non-availability of Embassy staff in Khartoum to coordinate the exercise, the government said that staff are very much on ground to coordinate the evacuation exercise to the very end.
“The students and other Nigerians awaiting evacuation from Khartoum, Sudan are therefore, advised to cooperate with them in other to ensure orderliness and proper documentation while embarking on the buses.
“This will go along way in speeding up the process and avoiding unnecessary delays with documentation and clearance upon arrival at the Aswan, Egypt,” the statement added