By Udesinanna Stephen
The Federal Government of Nigeria has made a u-turn to evacuate Nigerians in Sudan by air transport.
The decision was made known today in a press statement by the Ministry Of Foreign Affairs (MFA) And The Federal Ministry Of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management And Social Development (FMHADMSD).
This is coming after the Nigeria Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, yesterday said
Nigerians stranded can not be evacuated by air because the airports in Sudan have been shut down.
The statement, which was jointly signed by the Amb. Janet Olisa, Director Overseeing the Office of the Permanent Secretary MFA, and Dr. Nasir Sani-Gwarzo mni, NPOM Permanent Secretary FMHADMSD, has that “concrete plans are underway, to deploy, very shortly, air transport to evacuate all stranded Nigerian citizens through the identified safe transit areas back home to Nigeria in safety and dignity.”
The statement expressed concerns about some students trying to find their way to contiguous borders of either Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, or Chad on their own.
In this regard, the statement presents that President Muhammadu Buhari and the Humanitarian Sectors in the country are working with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, other relevant stakeholders, and International Humanitarian Organizations to evacuate these Students immediately and other affected Nigerian citizens.
“The Ministers, therefore, urge parents to advise their wards that while concerted efforts are being made to evacuate them, the students should endeavour to remain calm and maintain constant communication with officials of the Nigerian Embassy in Sudan for instructions and updates,” part of the statement reads.