Last night, the federal government stated that the sole feasible method of evacuating Nigerians from the war in Sudan was via road transportation.
During an interview on Channel Television’s Sunday Politics program, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffery Onyema, revealed this information about the war in Sudan.
According to his statement, they have been tirelessly working for the past 48 hours to evacuate Nigerians from Sudan. To facilitate this, they instructed their embassy in Sudan to establish a platform where Nigerians residing in the country can log in and receive updates while they coordinate the evacuation process.
He also said that, In a scenario like the current one, it’s crucial to establish a gathering point before attempting to evacuate people. As the airport is not a secure location, the only practical escape route is by road. However, it’s imperative to note that the road is not entirely safe either. In this case, the government must ensure a certain level of security and establish a safe corridor for the evacuation process to proceed smoothly.
In response to a query regarding whether Nigeria has evacuated its diplomatic personnel, the minister stated that the country has not yet evacuated its diplomatic staff. This is because they must also aid in coordinating the evacuation of students. However, the minister confirmed that Nigeria intends to evacuate its diplomatic personnel in due time.
The Minister said “Currently, our main objective is to obtain permission from the Sudanese government to commence the lengthy journey. We are hesitant to jeopardize the safety of Nigerians, as we observed that the French faced attack while attempting to evacuate their citizens.
“We are making all possible efforts to obtain the approval of the Sudanese government at the highest level.
“I recently contacted a representative from the president’s office and submitted a formal request, which they acknowledged receiving.
Our available options include crossing via the Egyptian border, which is in close proximity to both Port Sudan and the Ethiopian border. Additionally, there is a border with Chad, although our focus is primarily on the Ethiopian border, Port Sudan, and the Egyptian border.”
Meanwhile the Nigeria government has asked all her citizens in Sudden to remain in door until further notice.