The head of the Nigerian Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) responded to allegations of discrimination in the evacuation process, stating that children and women were given priority...
The Federal Government has evacuated the first batch of stranded Nigerians in Sudan. The evacuees are expected to arrive in Abuja on Friday, April 28, 2023.
The Head of Media, Public Relations and Protocols Unit of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Abdur-Rahman Balogun, announced this in a statement.
Abike Dabiri-Erewa, the Chairman of NiDCOM, gave more details about the evacuation during a State House briefing on Thursday, April 27.
According to Dabiri-Erewa, a total of 13 buses have already left Sudan to transport Nigerians. The buses moved by road to the border town of Aswan in Egypt.
Members of staff of the embassy in Egypt and the Director-General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mustapha Habeeb-Muhammed, received the evacuees. Ten of the buses transported Nigerians from Universities in Khartoum while the remaining three buses were dispatched to El-Razi University to convey them to the town in Egypt.
Issue of discrimination in evacuation process
NiDCOM boss said a Boeing 777 from Airpeace would depart Lagos, transport the first batch of evacuees home on Friday.
The head of the Nigerian Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), responded to allegations of discrimination in the evacuation process.
Responding to complains that children and women were given priority due to profiling for administrative purposes, she said, "we have to profile them because we need to know who we are evacuating," she explained.
The NiDCOM boss also announced that a Boeing 777 from Airpeace would depart Lagos that evening and transport the first batch of evacuees home on Friday, April 28, 2023.
She assured all Nigerians that those who had registered to be evacuated would be facilitated regardless of status, gender, or state.
Not only students are trapped in Sudan
Furthermore, Dabiri-Erewa clarified that in addition to the large population of Nigerian students in Sudan, there were also millions of other Nigerians in the country conducting their legitimate business and residing there peacefully. She urged those who had not registered to do so as soon as possible in order to be included in future evacuation efforts.
Responding to concerns about the safety of those being transported by road, Dabiri-Erewa reassured the public that the Minister of Foreign Affairs had secured the understanding of the two warlords in the area. "We have been assured of their safety," she stated.
In summary, Dabiri-Erewa emphasised the importance of prioritising the safety and well-being of Nigerian citizens abroad. "We will continue to do our best to ensure that Nigerians in the Diaspora are treated with dignity and respect," she affirmed.
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