Bernice Larryoboh, Ajirioghene Imah
The Federal Government has commenced the process of evacuating Nigerian students stranded in Sudan.
The Federal Government has confirmed the commencement of evacuation of Nigerians stranded in Sudan, as over 420 people have been killed and 3,700 injured following the outbreak of conflict in the North African country
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama and his counterpart, Minister of State Zubairu Dada, confirmed it today while briefing State House Correspondents on unfolding developments regarding the crisis.
Onyeama revealed that 40 luxury buses were already on ground in Sudan to pick up Nigerian nationals in the country to Egypt where they would be airlifted back home.
He said the evacuation efforts are being coordinated by the Nigerian embassy in Sudan as well as authorities of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FERMA).
According to the Ministers, the buses conveying our citizens were hired at $1.2 million, noting that it also included the cost of providing security while conveying the stranded Nigerian students from war-torn Sudan through Cairo and Egypt.
Both ministers also noted that women and children will be given priority, including diplomats who are equally involved in the evacuation logistics.
They noted that the Nigerian government was leveraging on the 72-hour ceasefire deal to evacuate as many Nigerians as possible.
Ambassador Dada noted that the Saudi Arabia government had already evacuated some Nigerians through the sea to safety and that once the situation calms down arrangements will be made to move them back to Nigeria.
