The Nigerian Federal Government has officially announced the commencement of the evacuation of Nigerian citizens stranded in Sudan due to the recent outbreak of conflict in the North African country. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, and his counterpart, Minister of State Zubairu Dada, confirmed this news on Wednesday while briefing State House Correspondents on the unfolding developments regarding the crisis.
Onyeama revealed that 40 luxury buses were already on the ground in Sudan to pick up Nigerian nationals in the country and transport them to Egypt, where they would be airlifted back home. The evacuation efforts are being coordinated by the Nigerian embassy in Sudan, as well as the authorities of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FERMA).
The Ministers noted that the buses conveying Nigerian citizens were hired at a cost of $1.2 million, which also included the cost of providing security while conveying them to the Egyptian territory. Women and children, as well as diplomats involved in the evacuation logistics, will be given priority.
The Nigerian government is leveraging the 72-hour ceasefire deal to evacuate as many Nigerians as possible. Ambassador Dada also noted that the Saudi Arabian 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.
This evacuation effort is a testament to the Nigerian government’s commitment to the safety and well-being of its citizens, even in times of crisis. The government’s swift and decisive action in coordinating this evacuation is commendable and serves as an example of effective crisis management.
