At least 5000 Nigerians trapped in war-torn Sudan will soon be rescued and brought back home, the federal government has said.
Geoffrey Onyeama, the honorable minister for foreign affairs, in a discussion on Channels Television Sunday revealed the government’s strategy to rescue these stranded Nigerians from harm’s way in Khartoum, the capital and other parts of Sudan.
“First of all, we have an embassy there, and we’ve told them to put up a platform where all the Nigerians who are in Sudan can log on to so information will be available and to coordinate the process,” he said.
“What you need in a situation like this is a place where everybody can congregate before you start moving them out and because the airport is out of commission, the only viable way out is by road but of course it’s not totally safe, so you’re going to require government to provide some security and a safe corridor out.”
The minister emphasised that the situation in Sudan is particularly challenging because of the large number of stranded Nigerians but the government is working round the clock to ensure their safe return home as quickly as possible.
“Where we are at the moment is trying to get the authorisation from the Sudanese government to undertake this long convoy journey and for them to provide some security. The options available to us include the Egyptian border, Port Sudan is another place where we understand that some of the international diplomatic people have been congregating and the Ethiopian border. However, we don’t want to take any risks and put our citizens; brothers and sisters in danger,” he added.
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Onyeama stated that there are several reasons why a significant number of Nigerians choose to study in Sudan, with the majority being enrolled in schools in Khartoum.
“One reason is that Sudan has a good tradition and educational system, making it an attractive destination for Nigerian students,” he said.
“The country is believed to host the largest number of Nigerians in the diaspora, which may come as a surprise to many.”
“In the past, Sudan was a common route for Nigerians traveling to Mecca before air travel became prevalent. As a result, many Nigerians have settled in Sudan, with third and fourth-generation Nigerians now residing in the country. It has also become a popular destination for Islamic teachings, contributing to its appeal for Nigerian students seeking to further their knowledge in this area.”
