FG Plans Safe Evacuation Amid Conflict

The Federal Government of Nigeria has urged Nigerian students currently in Sudan to stay calm and remain indoors as it makes efforts to safely evacuate them from the conflict-ridden country. A recent statement from the Nigerian Embassy in Khartoum has advised students to disregard an earlier notice circulated by the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) in Sudan, which called on them to assemble at certain locations for evacuation or to pay for their evacuation.

In a statement issued on Sunday by the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in Khartoum, and signed by H.Y Garko for Charge D’ Affairs, Nigerian students were urged to stay calm and remain indoors while the embassy works on obtaining final approval to commence evacuation. The statement comes amidst the ongoing fighting between forces loyal to Sudan’s army chief, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and his deputy, Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, who commands the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

The embassy warned that it is still dangerous for students to embark on a journey toward Sudan’s borders without security clearance and a guarantee from the Sudanese authorities. It reassured the Nigerian students that their safety and wellbeing are a top priority. Approximately 4,000 Nigerians are trapped in the country due to the escalating conflict between the rival generals in Khartoum, Sudan’s capital, which has already claimed hundreds of lives.

The initial notice circulated by NANS in Sudan asked students to converge at the African International University, NANSS office, and El-Razi University for evacuation, or to bring $100 or $200 for evacuation purposes. The Nigerian embassy has since advised students to disregard this notice and await further instructions.