By Muhammadu Sabiu
The National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, informed Nigerians in Sudan on Saturday that the federal government was working to bring them home.
This is contained in a statement released by Manzo Ezekiel, the head of NEMA’s press unit, in Abuja.
He said that NEMA was very worried about the situation, was keeping an eye on it, and was working on all available possibilities to return the trapped Nigerians to their loved ones’ homes in a safe and respectable manner.
The statement reads, “The attention of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) is drawn to the widespread public concern on the situation in Sudan especially in regards to the ongoing conflict and the safety as well as well-being of stranded Nigerian citizens including hundreds of students in various universities of the country.
“It has become necessary to inform the public that NEMA is in constant communication with all relevant partners including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Nigerian Embassy in Khartoum, Sudan, the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission and security agencies while seeking for an appropriate window of opportunity to evacuate all stranded Nigerians back home in a safe and dignified manner.
“The current emergency situation in Sudan is very complex with fighting between waring factions going on and all airports and land boarders closed. NEMA is working assiduously with all its partners and is constantly compiling updated information on the situation.
“A committee has been set up comprising of professional emergency responders, search and rescue experts to constantly evaluate the situation and seek for the safest way to evacuate the Nigerian citizens even if it is through a country neighbouring Sudan.”
Recall that there is ongoing violence involving the Sudanese Army and its paramilitary, which was recently characterised by heavy gunfire and explosions in the capital Khartoum.
