By Charles Adingupu
No fewer than 7,000 Nationals including Nigerians being evacuated from the war torn Sudan are currently stranded at the Egyptian boarder following the government refusal to grant passage permit.
This was disclosed by the Chairperson, Nigeria Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa at the Channels TV program, Politics Today.
Dabiri-Erewa who said that the 13 buses ferrying the Nigerian Evacuees got to the Egyptian boarder safely but were denied entry into the town where they were expected to board a another bus that would convey them to the Airport.
She disclosed that the Egyptian immigration officers at the boarder are demanding Visa permit from the Evacuees, adding that it was not part of the initial arrangements, otherwise, the Nigerian Envoy in Sudan would have prepared for such contingency.
While criticising the Egyptian government over its hardline stance on the matter, she said the Nigerian Evacuees would be airlifted as soon as they get to the Airport.
The Commission’s Chairperson disclosed that the Nigerian government has finalized plans with her Air force to airlift the Evacuees from Egypt, but lamented that the issue on ground is what is holding them back.
Dabiri-Erewa who expressed sympathy for the stranded Nigerian Evacuees and other nationals at the Egyptian boarder, also lamented the hazards the Nigerian students and other Evacuees are being exposed to for being marooned at the boarder town without adequate preparations to that effect.
“I’m a mother and I can feel the pain and agony those children are passing through right now. Hence, we are appealing to the Egyptian government to allow these Evacuees easy passage without these bottleneck bureaucracies”, she said.
Dabiri-Erewa, however, assured that the Nigerian Envoy in Sudan is currently working assiduously to expedite the safe airlift of stranded Nigerians within 24 hours.
She dismissed insinuations that money budgeted for hiring of buses to convey the students may have been embezzled by Nigerian officials in Sudan.
The Commission’s Chairperson who disclosed that despite the additional 27 buses hired to ferry students and other Nigerians trapped in the Sudanese crossfire, the planning committee seems overwhelmed by unprecedented number of Nigerians who are willing to live the war ravaging country in a hurry.
According to her, more than half of Nigerians who eventually turned up did not register with NEMA, and the Agency insisted that they must be documented if they wish to join the bus.
She assured that before the beginning of another week, the Nigerian Evacuees would have been airlifted safely to Nigeria.
