The Federal Government (FG) has guaranteed Nigerians stuck in crisis-torn Sudan of their safety and evacuation, saying it is “working around the clock” to make that happen.
Foreign Affairs Minister Geoffrey Onyeama provided the guarantee on Channels Television’s Sunday program.
“So, we have been working around the clock for the last two days to try and get the Nigerians out,” he said on the show, adding that the country’s embassy has been mandated to open a platform to register the nation’s residents in Sudan.
His remark came amid a flood of criticism and outrage directed at the administration, which many accuse of being unconcerned about the departure of its nationals from the North African country.
However, Onyeama thinks that the situation is not ideal.
“Because the airport, as you pointed out in your report, is out of commission, the only viable way out is by road,” the minister stated. “Of course, it’s not completely safe, so you’ll need the government to provide some security and a safe exit.”
The sheer number of Nigerians in Sudan, which he estimates at 5,500, complicates matters.
The Foreign Affairs Minister explained that 80 percent of them are students, and that some countries have merely evacuated diplomatic staff, not all of their population, as some have suggested online.
He did, however, ensure that “we are doing everything we can to obtain the necessary approval from the Sudanese government.”
“Essentially, where we are at the moment is trying to get authorisation from the Sudanese government to undertake this long convoy journey and for them to provide some security.”
When asked when the evacuation will begin, he stated, “We are hoping that in the next day or two we will have received approval from the Sudanese government to start moving people out.”
Until then, Federal Government institutions such as the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) are working to offer help to Nigerians stuck in the country, whom he advised to “stay where you are” before the evacuation begins.
