SOME Nigerian students studying in Sudan have announced planned evacuation to Ethiopia following the fighting which has led to the killing of hundreds in the country and left many foreign nationals stranded.
The students, under the aegis of the National Association of Nigerian Students, Sudan chapter, in a statement by the Media committee of the body, obtained on Sunday, told colleagues to converge at three locations in Gadarif, before evacuation to neighbouring Ethiopia.
Gadarif, also spelt Gedaref or Gedarif, is the capital of the state of Al Qadarif in Sudan. It lies on the road that connects Khartoum with Gallabat on the Ethiopian border, about 410 kilometres from the capital.
This is following the situation in Sudan which the Federal Government through the Chairman, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, described as “risky” evacuating Nigerians from the country.
NIDCOM on Friday had said although the Nigerian Mission in Sudan and the National Emergency Management Agency had put in place arrangements to evacuate Nigerians, it was risky for any flight to operate during this period of war.
The NANS statement partly read, “This is to inform all Nigerian students to gather at any of these three locations to proceed with the evacuation to Gadarif, then to Ethiopia. 1. Ifriqiyyah University 2. NANSS Office or 3. El-Razi University.”
It said departure time was 1pm and transport cost $100.
“Those who don’t have the funds should contact either their school or state president. Come along with your passport original/photocopy or school ID card.
“Those that don’t have their passport at hand should also contact their state or school president,” the student body added.
The conflict between the Sudanese armed forces and the paramilitary group, Rapid Support Force, has claimed over 400 lives with about 3,500 injured.
The clashes have also displaced thousands of civilians who fled the capital, Khartoum, as the violence, which started on April 8, entered its 15th day on Sunday.
Until recently, the Sudanese Armed Forces, led by General Abdel al-Burhan, and the RSF paramilitary group, headed by General Mohamed Dagalo, were allies.
The Federal Government of Nigeria, on Saturday, said all airports and land borders in Sudan were closed as the emergency situation in the country was very complex with ongoing fighting between warring factions.
It, however, stated that a search and rescue committee had been established to come up with the safest way of evacuating Nigerians stranded in the troubled nation.
The government disclosed this through the National Emergency Management Agency, stressing that it was aware of the widespread public concern about the situation in Sudan.