By Seyi Odewale
As the Federal Government intensified moves to evacuate Nigerians out of war-torn Sudan, a Nigerian student, Umar Abubakar, has disclosed that no fewer than 588 students were evacuated in the first batch of students that left earlier yesterday.
Abubakar, who is the President of the Jigawa State Students Association in Sudan, disclosed during an interview on Channels TV, that at least 1500 students were still waiting to be evacuated.
He lamented the deteriorating living condition in the war-torn Khartoum, the capital of Sudan.
“So far, 588 students left this morning in 13 buses, while there are about 1,500 others still waiting to be evacuated,” he said.
He said he had been out since 5am waiting for a bus to evacuate them.
Abubakar noted, “We are disappointed in everything. We are outside under the sun since 5 am waiting for the buses, not even one official from the embassy is around. Those people are just playing us along.”
He added that those who were evacuated from Khartoum to Egypt have been stranded since yesterday (Wednesday) at a border between Sudan and Egypt.
Abubakar said, “Even those that left for Egypt yesterday are now stranded on their way because the drivers said they have not been paid and that they are not moving an inch until they are paid, or else they will drop the students there and return.”
*As NiDCOM chair, Dabiri-Erewa, admits evacuation challenges
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has said more Nigerian students are to be evacuated from Sudan today.
She said this during an interview on Channels Television’s breakfast programme, Sunrise Daily yesterday.
According to her, the students will arrive in Cairo, Egypt later in the evening.
She said, “13 buses of about 60 people have already left. We are hoping that they would get into as one later this evening, but we are monitoring them. It is not a very pleasant situation, mission officials are waiting to receive them,” the NIDCOM boss said.
According to her, the government is vigilant to monitor the safe arrival of the students down to the country.
However, she lamented that there were many undocumented Nigerians seeking evacuation from the North African country.
“There is a little challenge. Three thousand five hundred students, yes. Nigerians there are now coming without any documentation,” Dabiri-Erewa added. “They now say they want to come back.”
But she admitted that there were little challenges with the logistics and the rising number of persons who have applied to be ferried to safety.
Some of the transporters insist that they want to collect their cash before they even load the next set of buses.
“The mission is now being bombarded with people that never registered, that never showed presence, saying that they want to come.
“Everything is being done by the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs to ensure that is done. Perhaps, when we get all our data right, Sudan Republic is one of the areas where we have our largest diaspora population.”
She also noted that the continuation of the student’s education would not be a problem, adding that President Muhammadu Buhari has approved funds for the purpose and the welfare of those affected.
Dabiri-Erewa equally rued the situation in Sudan, calling for peace among the warring factions.
“The 72 hour is lapsing, there is a lot of tension, a lot of desperation. There is been a lot of talks with the AU and two warring factions and there is nothing better than peace in all these situations,” she said.
“What the mission had to do was to ensure that only students come first because that was what we agreed.”
Her comments come hours after the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, gave an update about the evacuation, noting that no Nigerian life has been lost.
