The presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the February 25 elections, Peter Obi, has urged the Federal Government to evacuate Nigerians trapped in war-torn Sudan immediately.
Obi said it was unfortunate that these Nigerians were becoming hopeless, insisting that despite the difficult situation in that country, it remains the responsibility of the Nigerian government to ensure their safe return to Nigeria.
The advice is coming against the backdrop of the excuses offered by the Federal government excuses that the situation in Sudan makes it difficult to evacuate Nigerian citizens in that country but in a series of tweets on Sunday, Obi Muhammadu Buhari administration to “expedite all efforts to rescue about 4000 Nigerians that are mostly students in Sudan to safety.”
Mr Obi’s charge came a day after the Buhari regime gave excuses as to why Nigerians in the embattled North African nation could not be rescued.
While the Labour Party presidential candidate in the February 25 polls said he appreciated the “extreme challenges in Sudan”, he maintained that it was the statutory responsibility of the Federal Government of Nigeria “to protect Nigerians at home in Nigeria and abroad.”
He stressed that it was important that federal authorities “attend to such issues with more deserving proactiveness and commitment as the life of every Nigerian is sacred and important.”
His post:
Since it is the statutory responsibility of FGN to protect Nigerians at home in Nigeria and abroad, it is important that we attend to such issues with more deserving proactiveness and commitment as the life of every Nigerian is sacred and important.
— Peter Obi (@PeterObi) April 23, 2023
War broke out in Sudan last week between Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) over disagreements about the transition to civilian rule. No fewer than 400 persons have been killed in the battle.
In 2019, SAF headed by General Abdel Fattah al-Burgan combined forces with General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo’s RSF to oust former leader Bashir al-Assad. The power sharing arrangement has now broken down due to struggle for control.
The UK, U.S. and France are some of the countries that have commenced evacuation of their citizens since the battle commenced.
However, the Nigerian government, through the Chairman of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, said evacuating Nigerians trapped in Sudan is impossible.
“The tense situation makes it gravely risky and impossible for any flights at this point in time,” Mrs Dabiri-Erewa said on Saturday.
