The federal government of Nigeria is waiting for authorization and assurances of safety from the Sudanese authority to evacuate her 5, 500 citizens who are mostly students and others that have taken up teaching appointments in the war torn country, according to Geoffrey Onyeama, foreign affairs minister.
Acknowledging the situation, which is as a result quest for supremacy of power between supporters of the leader and his vice as being critical, Onyeama, who featured on the Channels Television’s Sunday politics on April 23, said both the embassy staff and government have to be sure that the citizens who would be evacuated through the land borders are not way laid and killed indiscriminately by the fighting forces.
Consequently, the minister said, in order not to endanger the lives of the citizens, the embassy needs to get assurances of safely and possibly escorted through the borders to the neigbouring countries.
Responding to allegation of sluggishness and lack of proactiveness on the part of Nigeria and her embassies on foreign affairs issues particularly as they pertain to lives, Onyeama responded that the comments are unfair and unjustifiable.
According to him Nigeria has always responded promptly when lives of her citizens are in danger.
On another allegation of lack of foreign policy direction, again, the minister debunked that and said the country has always adopted positive and constructive engagements with her neighbours.
Meanwhile, president Muhammadu Buhari’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said officials of the Nigerian Government are working towards ensuring the safety of Nigerians in Sudan.Tweeting, Shehu wrote: “Nigerian government has been having sleepless nights following the ongoing crisis in Sudan.
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“Our officials are doing a lot, coordinating with the Embassy in Khartoum, the Sudanese and Ethiopian governments trying to ensure the safety of the large number of our citizens there.According to Shehu, “Minister Onyeama who is coordinating these efforts is optimistic that they will start moving people to safety as soon as possible.”
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“Our officials are doing a lot, coordinating with the Embassy in Khartoum, the Sudanese and Ethiopian governments trying to ensure the safety of the large number of our citizens there.According to Shehu, “Minister Onyeama who is coordinating these efforts is optimistic that they will start moving people to safety as soon as possible.”
