Abike Dabiri-Erewa, the chairperson of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) said that the agency did not block any Nigerian from being evacuated from Sudan.
On Monday, a video clip emerged online in which one of the Nigerians trapped in Sudan said that some of them were left behind while others were evacuated.
“They have come here and picked up those they picked up, leaving the rest of us who are Igbos,” a person who spoke in Igbo language claimed.
Abdur-Rahman Balogun, Dabiri-Erewa’s communications aide, characterized the development as “a fabricated lie from the pit of hell” in a statement released on Tuesday.
He blamed the “divisive and ridiculous fabrication” on a youth organisation called South East Youth Leaders (COSEYL), noting that the commission was focused on and working with other agencies to ensure the safe repatriation of the stranded Nigerians.
Balogun stated that all individuals who congregated at the designated areas were picked up and transported in 40 buses either to Port Sudan or to the Egyptian border.
“Reports from the ministry of foreign affairs staff on the ground in Khartoum indicated that when the boarding of buses began, the situation was so chaotic that some people (including non-Nigerians) jumped in violently, some with daggers, through the windows,” he said.
“To bring sanity and to abide by the instruction of the minister of foreign affairs that priority should be given to women, children and students, the officials started calling them in according to states in alphabetical order, beginning with Abia state.
“Reports from Sudan indicate that all who converged at the prescribed locations were to be picked up, and have all been moved in 40 buses either towards Port Sudan or towards Egyptian borders. However, if some arrived after the stipulated time or did not show up at the point of pick up, they can’t blame it on anyone.
“NIDCOM is focused, working with other relevant agencies, on the safe return of stranded Nigerians and will not be distracted by nonsensical, illogical, irresponsible, rascal and unfounded comments meant to distract from the success, safe and secure return of Nigerians from Khartoum, Sudan.”
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