The evacuation of Nigerians stranded in Sudan started early on Wednesday. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission tweeted to say that Nigerian student were queued up, ready to board the buses to Egypt.
https://twitter.com/abikedabiri/status/1651148213926211585
The buses are expected to convey the Nigerians to Egypt and from there, they will be airlifted to Nigeria.
Also read; 11 EU countries that grant citizenship after 5 years of residency
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, who disclosed this on Wednesday, said that the Federal Government procured 40 buses for the evacuation of Nigerians in war-torn Sudan.
At a media briefing after the Federal Executive Council Meeting, Onyeama stated that the government will evacuate citizens in days amid the 72-hour ceasefire in Sudan.
The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Zubairu Dada affirmed that no Nigerian life has been lost so far, and confirmed that the first batch of Nigerians are already being conveyed to Egypt.
Abike Dabiri-Erewa in a subsequent tweet stated that the next update will be given when the buses arrive their location.
Our next update , by God’s grace , will be when they arrive their location . Please put them in prayers 🙏🏿
— . (@s2_vpd) April 26, 2023
Meanwhile, the Chief Executive Officer of Air Peace, Allen Onyema, who has volunteered to send planes to fly the Nigerians back at no cost, in an Interview with ARISE NEWS on Wednesday said his willingness to evacuate Nigerians stranded in war-torn Sudan for free is not a publicity stunt but born out of the love he has for Nigeria.
“I feel personally honoured to be allowed to do that. It’s not a publicity stunt, I’ve been doing it right from secondary school to the university to actively bring Nigeria together. I believe it’s something we should all be proud of,” he said.
Onyema however denounced both supporters and detractors who have brought an ethnic slant to the intervention.
“I don’t want a good gesture to be turned into an ethnic debacle, it makes me uncomfortable to the extent that I might not do this again, because I want to promote unity and not cause disunity,” he said.
Onyema said Nigeria’s ethnic diversity is envied and should be a strength.
“Nigeria is a country of 378 ethnic nationalities which is supposed to be our strength. The diversity we have today is an envy to all. It pains me that we have not been able to weave the country together in over 60 years of our independence.
“(I do)whatever I have to do to encourage people to come together to promote unity and encourage broad nationalism as against ethnic and religious nationalism which we have in this country. That is why I do it. I do it because I love this country and I believe we can be better.
“However, it pains me that my gesture has started causing some kind of problems on social media, people are trying to bring ethnic angle into it.
“Those who are supporting me, the igbos who are rooting for me that an igbo man is going to do this and do that, please stop. Even for other people from other tribes other than igbo who have one or two things to say, please stop.
“It is a Nigerian thing, not igbo, Hausa or Yoruba. I don’t want a good gesture to be turned imto an ethnic debacle. It pains me to the extent that I might not do this again.” he said.
Meanwhile, Onyema also announced that planes will be deployed to Sudan on Friday, as it would take the evacuees who are now on their way to Cairo, two days to get to Cairo from Sudan by road.
“We are planning to deploy on Friday. I wanted to do it today, if possible but I was told it will take two days to get to Egypt from Sudan by road and last night they told me the buses had left. I wanted to deploy this night.
“On Thursday night, I might send out three jets to Egypt. I just pray no country will delay us over flight permit issues, so that we can get there on time and start moving people out immediately. I may send in about three planes at a time.”
Nnamdi Maduakor is a Writer, Investor and Entrepreneur
