By Miriam Humbe, Abuja
President Muhammadu Buhari has issued a directive for the safe evacuation of Nigerian citizens stranded in Sudan, back to the country.
To that effect, the Ministers, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) and Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, (FMHADMSD) had assured Nigerians that concrete plans were underway to deploy, very shortly, air transport to evacuate all Nigerian citizens stranded in Sudan through the identified safe transit areas back home in safety and dignity.
The federal government said that those to be evacuated included the Nigerian students and other members of the Nigerian community caught up in the on-going crisis between the Sudanese Army and the Paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.
A statement jointly signed by the Permanent Secretary, FMHADMSD, Dr. Nasir Sani-Gwarzo and the Director Overseeing the Office of the Permanent Secretary, MFA Amb. Janet Olisa said the Ministers noted with concern that some of these students were trying to find their way to contiguous borders of either Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia or Chad on their own.
The Ministers expressed concern over the dire humanitarian situation in Sudan and empathized with the entire civilian population in the country.
The joint statement read: “In line with the directive of the President Muhammadu Buhari, the Humanitarian Sector comprising FMHADMSD, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI) is working very closely with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Nigerian Missions in the countries bordering Sudan, as well as with other relevant stakeholders especially the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Federal Ministry of Health, the Nigerian Armed Forces, National Intelligence Agency (NIA), and International Humanitarian Organizations such as International Organization for Migration (IOM) to immediately evacuate these Students and other affected Nigerian citizens.”
The Ministers, therefore, urged parents to advise their wards that while concerted efforts were being made to evacuate them, the students should endeavour to remain calm and maintain constant communication with officials of the Nigerian Embassy in Sudan for instructions and updates.
The joint statement again read: “They can reach the Embassy Officials on the following telephone numbers, +2348035866773, +249961956284, +2348063636862, +249961956274, +2349066663493.
“Furthermore, they are also advised to guard against undertaking the treacherous journey to the borders on their own, in view of the dangers involved.”
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