The Embassy of Nigeria in Khartoum, Sudan has asked Nigerian students trapped in the country to disregard the National Association of Nigerian Students, who had asked them to converge for evacuation.
The PUNCH reports that NANS Sudan in a statement dated Sunday asked students trapped in the country to prepare for evacuation to Ethiopia.
This is a result of fighting between Sudan’s army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan’s forces and the rival Rapid Support Forces of his former deputy, Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, that has led to the death of hundreds and left many foreign nationals stranded.
The fighting began on April 15 over a dispute on the planned integration of the RSF into the regular army.
Announcing evacuation plans on Sunday, the student body asked the students to prepare a $100 transport fee as well.
But the Nigerian Embassy in a circular signed by its representative, H.R Garko, countered NANS, saying it “wishes to inform all students in Sudan, that they should disregard the notice circulated by NANS in Sudan, calling students to converge at the three locations namely: African International University, NANSS Office and El-Razi University, for evacuation or to bring 100 or $200 for evacuation.”
It said as the Embassy had earlier informed students, “you are therefore requested to stay calm and remain indoors, while the embassy is working on final approval to commence evacuation.”
The Embassy maintained that it was still dangerous to embark on a journey toward the borders of Sudan without securing clearance and guarantee from Sudanese authorities.
“The embassy wishes to reassure the Nigerian students that their safety and wellbeing is of priority concern,” the statement added.
The PUNCH reports that the Federal Government through the Chairman, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, had on Friday described as “risky” evacuating Nigerians from Sudan.
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 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 enters the second week.
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.
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