The Federal Goverment has conveyed 200-seater buses which arrived meeting point of International University Of Africa, Khartoum, Sudan’s capital city on Tuesday for the evacuation of stranded Nigerian students in Sudan to Cairo, Egypt.
It was reported that a set of five 200-seater buses drove into the venue at exactly 7:30pm local time (5:30pm – Nigerian time) with two Hilux trucks of security personnel and a small bus of embassy officials.
Earlier, the FG said it was making preparations to evacuate 5,500 stranded Nigerians out of Sudan through the Egyptian town of Luxor, adding that it was seeking Egypt’s support so that they could be moved to Luxor.
While a letter dated 23 April 2023, signed by Charge D’ Affairs, Haruna Garko, sighted on Monday, stated that the FG through the Nigerian Embassy, Sudan made a request for buses to convey students from Khartoum to Cairo on Tuesday at 6 am.
The letter read, “I am directed to request the services of your 200-seater buses to convey 3500 Nigerian students from Khartoum to Cairo Egypt on 25 April 2023, at 6 am in the morning.”
News Point Nigeria who spoke to one of the stranded Nigerian student confirmed the development, saying ”the officials have started clearance and verification of students at the venue and some students are ready to board.
“We are discussing giving out 60 per cent of the first available seats to the female students and children while the male students take up the remaining 40 per cent.
“We are told that more buses are coming and the officials also brought some snacks and water too. On this note, we wish to sincerely thank them for this gesture and their efforts toward ensuring that we returned home safe”, the student added.
The FG who had earlier expressed concern over the situation in Sudan, through the ministers, published emergency numbers for those stranded Nigerians.
A joint statement by the Geoffrey Onyeama and Sadiya Faruk urged parents to advise their wards to be calm as concerted efforts are being made to evacuate all Nigerians stranded in Sudan.
The joint statement signed by the Permanent Secretaries of Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management and Social Development respectively.
Also advised Nigerians to maintain constant communication with the Embassy in Sudan for further directives and to guard against undertaking treacherous journey to the borders on their own, in view of the dangers involved.
Adding that the Nigerian Embassy officials in Sudan can be reached through the following numbers: +2348035866773, +249961956284, +2348063636862, +249961956274, and +2349066663493.
The Sudan fighting which has been going on for days between Sudanese Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces has caused people across Sudan to continue sheltering in place, fearing for their lives, and running low on fuel, food, medicine, and water.
At least 427 people have been killed nationwide, and more than 3,700 people are injured, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), with acute shortages of food, water, medicines, fuel, and limited access to communications and electricity, continue to be reported.