‘Logistics Concerns’ Prevent Evacuation Of Nigerian Students From Sudan
Prospective evacuees from Nigeria in Sudan have expressed their concerns over the speed of the process. The shaky ceasefire agreed between warring military factions is racing toward its end.
Nigerian students waiting to be evacuated from crisis-stricken Sudan are still stuck in the country after logistical problems prevented their departure.
An agreed 72-hour ceasefire between the warring military factions for control of the government will end Thursday night.
One of the students told HumAgle yesterday morning there were only three buses that have a capacity of carrying 50 passengers each. More have arrived since but they are still not enough.
As many as 5,500 Nigerians have expressed a desire to be evacuated from Sudan, the foreign ministry says. It is not clear how many are currently gathering at the two muster points for evacuation.
“Alhamdulillah, now there are eight buses on the ground,” the student said. “They have started taking names of people. But, students are saying they will not enter any of the buses until they make provision for the vehicles that can carry all of them.”
The student said there is sporadic shooting in the streets and looting by civilians and paramilitaries around the country’s capital is on the increase.
Angry
Another student, Khadija Mustapha Hussain said: “I can’t exactly say how we are coping now. It is not easy. There’s a failure of electricity. No food, no water. Everyone is battling for his life, everybody is angry. We are frustrated. Everything is hard for us. Government has been shouting that they have sent money for us.
“Since three days back, they have been shouting we will be evacuated, but till date nothing has happened.”
The student said they are yet to hear an official reason for the delay in their evacuation that is running into a third day.
“As I am talking, only Nigerians are moving in the streets, all foreigners have left,” Hussein added.
She said they are living in fear and wondering if she will see her family again.
The students said if the government cannot evacuate them they will leave the country on their own.
“The place we are now is not secure. We are planning to move ourselves out if the government cannot do anything about it. I think it is better to go to the border and be held than to stay here and die,” she said.
“We only want the media now to help tell the world the truth. We are hopeless and helpless,” she told HumAngle through an instant messaging app.
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