The Embassy of Nigeria in Khartoum, Sudan, has asked Nigerian students trapped in the country to disregard the directive of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), who had asked them to converge for evacuation. NANS Sudan in a statement yesterday asked students trapped in the country to prepare for evacuation to Ethiopia. This is a result of fighting between Sudan’s army chief, Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan’s forces and the rival Rapid Support Forces of his former deputy, Gen Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, that has led to the death of hundreds and left many foreign nationals stranded.
The fighting began on April 15 over a dispute on the planned integration of the RSF into the regular army. Announcing evacuation plans yesterday, the student body asked the students to prepare a $100 transport fee as well. Earlier yesterday, the NANS media committee had directed students to converge in Gadarif, before evacuation to neighbouring Ethiopia.
The students’ body said the departure time was 1 pm and the transport would cost $100. Gadarif, also spelt Gedaref or Gedarif, is the capital of the state of Al Qadarif in Sudan. It lies on the road that connects Khartoum with Gallabat on the Ethiopian border, about 410 kilometres from the capital. “This is to inform all Nigerian students to gather at any of these three locations to proceed with the evacuation to Gadarif, then to Ethiopia.
El-Razi University,” NANS said.
“Those who don’t have the funds should contact either their school or state president. Come along with your passport original and photocopy or school ID card. “Those that don’t have their passports at hand should also contact their state or school president.”
But the Nigerian Embassy in a circular signed by H.Y Garko, for Charge D’Affaires, countered NANS, saying it: “Wishes to inform all students in Sudan, that they should disregard the notice circulated by NANS in Sudan, calling students to converge at the three locations namely: African International University, NANSS Office and El-Razi University, for evacuation or to bring 100 or $200 for evacuation.” It said as the Embassy had earlier informed students: “You are therefore requested to stay calm and remain indoors, while the embassy is working on final approval to commence evacuation.” The Embassy maintained that it was still dangerous to embark on a journey toward the borders of Sudan without securing clearance and guarantee from Sudanese authorities.
“The embassy wishes to reassure the Nigerian students that their safety and wellbeing is of priority concern,” the statement added. The Federal Government through the Chairman, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, had on Friday described as “risky” evacuating Nigerians from Sudan. NIDCOM on Friday had said although the Nigerian Mission in Sudan and the National Emergency Management Agency had put in place arrangements to evacuate Nigerians, it was risky for any flight to operate during this period of war.
The Federal Government, on Saturday, said all airports and land borders in Sudan were closed as the emergency situation in the country was very complex with ongoing fighting between the warring factions. It, however, stated that a search and rescue committee had been established to come up with the safest way of evacuating Nigerians stranded in the troubled nation. The government disclosed this through the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), stressing that it was aware of the widespread public concern about the situation in Sudan
