By AFP, 26 April 2023
Nigeria on Wednesday started evacuating the first of around 3,500 of its nationals, mostly students, from Sudan to neighbouring Egypt Wednesday as a fragile ceasefire allowed foreigners to flee, emergency services said.
Foreign countries are trying to get their citizens out of Sudan after fighting broke out between forces loyal to two rival generals nearly two weeks ago, killing hundreds of people and leaving parts of Khartoum in ruins.
Western nations have sent special forces and military aircraft to help get out embassy staff and citizens. Others have fled the Sudanese capital by road.
Around 40 buses have been hired to convey stranded Nigerians from the war-torn nation.
Ezekiel said 3,500 Nigerians, including students, were to be transported firstly to Aswan in neighbouring Egypt.
Officials said there are more than 5,000 Nigerians in Sudan.
Onimode Bandele, NEMA special duties director, told AFP on Tuesday officials including embassy staff were at the collection centre to assist in the process.
“We are looking at over 5,000 Nigerians, but right now we are talking of 3,500, including students, that will be transported in buses to Aswan in Egypt,” he said.
He said the journey “will take some time because Khartoum to Aswan is about 1,200 kilometres (745 miles).
After arriving in Aswan evacuated Nigerians would be airlifted to the capital Abuja.
Local Nigerian carrier Air Peace had volunteered to transport the Nigerians free of charge, he added.
Bandele said the government had taken all necessary measures to ensure the safety of the Nigerians.
Since fighting erupted, at least 427 people have been killed and more than 3,700 wounded, according to UN agencies, which also reported Sudanese civilians fleeing to Chad, Egypt and South Sudan.
Ghana has said it has evacuated 82 nationals, including three footballers and two others working for an Australian mining company in Sudan. Most were to be evacuated across the border with Ethiopia and others through Egypt.
