As a result of the shutting down of Sudanese airspace, flights meant to convey people leaving Sudan have been landing in Egypt and neighbouring countries.
The Federal Government had made arrangement
for Sudan evacuees to be moved to Cairo by road from where they would join
flights back home.
The evacuation process began after the
warring factions in Sudan agreed to a three-day ceasefire.
Nigeria media had reported how some Nigerians
were stranded en route to Cario, but the issue was resolved following
intervention of top government officials.
However, the Sudanese warring factions
extended the ceasefire by three days, starting from Friday.
But the evacuation process could not continue
as officials had reportedly fled Sudan.
This led to a protest at the venue of
evacuation in Khartoum.
The protesters reportedly held one Ibrahim
Abdallah, a bureau de change operator ransom, beating him mercilessly.
In addition to receiving a cash transfer
meant to finance the journey, Abdallah was said to have been involved in bus
provision.
In video and audio clips made available to
Daily Trust, Abdallah was heard saying that the amount sent as deposit was
$250,000 which has been exhausted.
He said the balance is yet to be sent,
disclosing that about 25 buses billed to evacuate other stranded Nigerians have
since withdrawn participation in the exercise and the officials were not
responsive.
On Wednesday, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, chairman of
the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), had said there were at least
three million Nigerians in the East African country, but the Federal Government
would evacuate as many as it could.
Dabiri-Erewa did not respond to inquiry on
the latest situation in Sudan as here phone line rang out and she did not reply
a text message sent.
The spokesperson for NIDCOM, Gabriel Odu, said
he did not have the authority to comment on the issue and asked our
correspondent to contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or National Emergency
Management Agency (NEMA) for comment.
But a senior NEMA official, who did not want
his name mentioned because he was not authorised to speak on the matter, said
it was not possible the officials abandoned the stranded Nigerians.
“NEMA DG is on the ground to oversee the
evacuation. So it is not possible that the officials working under his
supervision would flee when he is on the ground,” the source said.
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