By Kamil Opeyemi
The Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has disclosed the Federal Government’s readiness to evacuate Nigerians stranded in Sudan
Dabiri-Erewa while speaking in an interview with BBC Africa on Monday said the federal government has asked for a safe corridors for the evacuation of Nigerian students trapped in Sudan.
While disclosing that every Nigerian student in the North African country now has a point of contact, the NiDCOM boss added that the stranded students would be transported by buses to the borders of Egypt before being airlifted to Nigeria.
“We are hoping that by tomorrow, the first set of buses will be leaving Khartoum heading toward some borders in Cairo to evacuate the first set to a safe place where we can now airlift them back home to Nigeria,” Dabiri-Erewa said.
“So, as soon as the buses are ready, like I said, most likely by tomorrow morning, they will convey them safely and that is the keyword.”
The NiDCOM chair said the process had been delayed because the federal government had yet to hear from Sudan’s army and the RSF for a safe passage.
“Now, here is the thing, why are we waiting? Because we must ensure that we get the permission of the military on both sides. Now, we have a large number of Nigerian students, we’re talking of thousands, nothing less than 3,500 that are stranded there so we’re conveying them in a whole lot of buses. Imagine seeing 10 buses without any security, you’re putting them in harm’s way.
“So we want to ensure that there’s safety and security, so by tomorrow morning, we believe that they’ll now go en route to Egypt and get to two borders there and they’ll be in a safe location to return home.
“Our ministry of foreign affairs has contacted both sides of the divide and we have asked for a safe corridor for our students and that means to give us security.
“By tomorrow, they will go to the borders in Cairo Some have found their way to Ethiopia, we have seven documented. There were issues of not being able to get in but the Mission contacted the authorities.
“The idea whichever side of the divide you are, Nigerian students must be safe. When we are moving our students, please don’t hurt them and that’s why there are security in those buses,” she added
Reacting to the NANS decision, Dabiri-Erewa described the actions of Nigerian students in Sudan leaving their universities without authorisation as a “risky” one.
“So, I know that the National Association of Nigerian Students actually sent a message and told all of them come somewhere so we can pay some fees but that was a dangerous move so they’ve all returned back to base and there’s a contact from the Nigerian mission in Sudan where there will be coming to,” she said