Air Peace begins evacuation of Nigerians from Sudan

The Federal Government of Nigeria has announced that it has commenced the evacuation of Nigerian citizens stranded in war-torn Sudan. According to a joint statement issued by the Permanent Secretaries of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Janet Olisa, and that of Humanitarian Affairs, Dr. Sani Gwarzo, the evacuation exercise will be carried out by both the Nigerian Airforce (NAF C-130H) plane and Airpeace plane.

The statement disclosed that the Nigerian Airforce plane and the Airpeace plane have been cleared to fly over Egyptian airspace to evacuate Nigerians stranded in Sudan following the outbreak of war between the Sudanese armed forces and the para-military Rapid Support Forces.

The NAF C-130H is scheduled to leave Abuja on April 28, 2023, to commence the airlift of the stranded students. The government also revealed that arrangements have been concluded to airlift all Nigerians who have already escaped on their own to safety in neighbouring countries of Sudan.

To ensure a safe evacuation process, the government said it has secured forty buses in Sudan to convey the students and other Nigerians from Khartoum to Aswan border in Egypt, which is one of the identified safe reception borders. As at the time of the statement, the first batch of buses had already departed Khartoum.

The government, however, stated that the initial hitches encountered during the transportation of stranded Nigerian students from Khartoum, where bus drivers stopped and dropped the students in the desert over non-payment of transport fees, have been resolved. It was also reported that some Nigerian students who found their way to the Ethiopian border were allowed entry into Ethiopia following the intervention of some Nigerian leaders.

Furthermore, the government disclosed that a situation room has been convened to monitor the evacuation exercise. The situation room is chaired by the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs.

In conclusion, the government assured Nigerians that it is committed to ensuring their safety and well-being, especially in times of crisis.