FG Set To Evacuate Stranded Nigerian Students In Sudan – Dabiri-Erewa

The Chairman/CEO, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has said the Federal Government is making “tremendous progress” to evacuate Nigerians stranded in conflict-hit Sudan. Dabiri-Erewa, who made a live appearance on the Monday edition of Channels Television’s Lunchtime Politics, disclosed that every Nigerian student in the North African country now has a point of contact.

“Buses will take them to a location. We’re looking at places in Egypt: Luxor and some other place there. So, really there’s been tremendous progress.  Mr President has given his nod immediately this happened, so there’s a lot,” she said.

The former House of Representatives member explained that the Nigerian mission has informed the students of a point of connection where the buses will convey them.

The most likely places, according to her, will be some borders in Egypt from which the students would be transported home by air.

She also raised the alarm over the danger of Nigerian students in Sudan leaving their universities without authorisation.

“The issue of those students that gathered together, took a bus somewhere, here’s the thing: they’ve all had to go back to their universities because it was very risky of them.

“Just imagine in a war situation, you just see 20 buses moving without any permission from the military authorities, we’ll endanger the lives. So, that is why they’ve had to return.”

The NIDCOM boss also cautioned against certain mobilisation efforts of the National Association of Nigeria Students (NANS) involving the pooling of funds to facilitate the transportation of Nigerian students in the North African country away from their campuses.

“NANS, which I understand came up with this thing of ‘pay $100, come somewhere,’ the things is, move to where? So, there’s no point taking you from one danger to another danger.

“And there were some people that were leaving that actually had to turn back because they would have been killed. So, now, they’ve returned to their various campuses,” she said.