Nigerians are known for their sense of adventure. In fact, it is a running joke that if you don’t run into any of them in any community or country, nothing good is happening there.
As we set out on our ‘ajala the traveler mission’, our leaders have embassies to ‘protect our interests’ while we are away from home.
But as of now, our compatriots are stranded in the war situation in Sudan.
Some neighbouring and faraway countries have acted swiftly to save their nationals, showing how highly they prioritise them and their safety. As for our dear country, your guess is as good as mine.
As our students in Sudan queued up orderly to board their buses to Egypt enroute to Nigeria, supervised by Nigerian mission officials in Sudan. Let’s remember them in our prayers as they journey home. War is a terrible thing !! pic.twitter.com/Y29nOFYmCX
— Abike Dabiri-Erewa (@abikedabiri) April 26, 2023
Till now, we understand that our compatriots are still in a world of uncertainty.
@ARISEtv @ruffydfire @MackieOkafor #NigeriansinSudan pic.twitter.com/HDbWGjc0eb
— Kemi Babagbemi MD, FACR 🐳 (@KemiMDRad) April 30, 2023
Our madam in charge of diaspora matters had announced to us via Twitter that our compatriots, who are students, were being conveyed to nearby borders in Egypt.
While we wait for the arrival of the first set of evacuees, madam has been giving some Nigerians on Twitter ‘woto-woto’.
That was after a huge sum of money was released for the rescue of our compatriots; and good news – a Nigerian airline owner volunteered to airlift our stranded compatriots back home if only they can be in a neighbouring safe place.
To fulfil their promises, buses were sent to rescue people from a battlefield! I mean buses o! Anyway, ten buses finally arrived to rescue over 5,000 students which they did halfway to the Sahara desert. Students are now stranded in the Sahara, as bus drivers are no longer moving until they are paid their balance.
‘We don’t know where we are’: Nigerian students in Sudan on their way back home say they are stranded, raising an alarm over their security. pic.twitter.com/4OiPwEngkn
— Channels Television (@channelstv) April 27, 2023
Now to some questions on my mind: where is our ambassador? What is our Embassy in Sudan doing?
#NigeriansInSudan
“This man is explaining their agreement with one Nigerian representative in regard to charter buses but quite unfortunate the other side failed to fulfill their promise.That’s why the bus company asked the drivers to stop until the Govt fulfilled their part.” pic.twitter.com/OF17WS6YJO
— Pépèr-Hadé Shóyemí (@CitizenPeper) April 27, 2023
This ‘jaga-jaga’ behaviour has to stop. The same thing happened in Ukraine one year ago and students were left on their own!
We call on our Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the agencies it is working with to quicken the process of evacuation to ensure all Nigerians are returned home safely.
Also, the ministry should set up a department that deals solely with emergencies like this so that proactive action can be taken by the department whenever necessary.
Photo source: Abike Dabiri
