International

By Lawan Bukar Maigana

The war is still raging. The fight in Sudan between two factional military groups, which started on April 15 — about two weeks ago, has left hundreds of people dead. Thousands have also fled for their safety.

A large number of foreigners in Sudan, especially diplomats and students, have been evacuated by their governments. But some are still stranded in the Sahara desert and in schools, among which are Nigerians.

Heartbreakingly, videos and audio of young Nigerians have emerged online, showing how helpless they have been since the war in Sudan broke out. Some of them claimed that they didn’t eat for days and that life had been hell for them since the start of the war, and the power struggle is still unfolding, leaving millions of people in fear.

No responsible country will leave its citizens at the mercy of rival factions whose attacks on each other can claim lives and properties. Therefore, it is baseless for anyone to compare the Ukrainian war and Sudan’s because the Ukrainian airport was not targeted by Russian soldiers, which is why countries were able to pick up their people safely and peacefully, but that of Sudan was and still is.

If Nigeria had insisted on evacuating Nigerians on the very day the Turkish plane was attacked, many lives would have been lost because the Nigerian plane, too, would have been attacked, but the almighty saved Nigerians. The government got some privileged information about the massive plan to attack evacuation planes, which was hitherto unavailable.

Hence, the Nigerian embassy wrote to the students urging them to be patient and pack their belongings so they could be transported to Egypt by road, where they could be brought home safely without any fear of attacks or victimization by anyone. This has saved the lives of my fellow citizens.

In appreciation, one of the ladies who was seen crying profusely, calling on the Nigerian government to come to their aid, has again made another video saying over 20 luxurious cars have successfully evacuated Nigerian students who were helpless and stranded in Khartoum, the Capital of Sudan.

She added that the government has again sent its representatives to Egypt to work on releasing students who were unable to cross the border due to some issues related to diplomacy. They, too, have been successfully cleared, and they are in Egypt.

It is important for Nigeria’s incoming government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Senator Kashim Shettima to, as leaders of the giant of Africa, intervene. They should quickly come to the aid of distressed Nigerians still residing in Sudan. Their prevailing agony can only be imagined. Delay is dangerous, as it is often said in our local parlance.

Lawan Bukar Maigana writes from Maiduguri and can be reached via email: lawanbukarmaigana@gmail.com.

By Muhammadu Sabiu
 
Paris Saint-Germain have reportedly suspended Lionel Messi with immediate effect following his unauthorised trip to Saudi Arabia this week.
 
According to veteran football journalist Fabrizio Romano, the suspension begins now and will take effect for the next two weeks.
 
This means that the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner will not play for the French side if things go as planned.
 
“Leo Messi’s side now still waiting on the official communication from PSG in order to clarify the situation,” Fabrizio Romano wrote on his official Facebook page.

Ibrahim Mukhtar and Dubai Ado

The fierce war between the Sudanese soldiers and some rebels has already scattered and shattered the country, and now almost all of the foreigners staying in Sudan have looked for their ways out of the war-torn country.

Many countries, as reported, have already evacuated their citizens, but Nigerians have been stranded for nearly a week. However, an evacuation effort has already started since yesterday, were most of the stranded Nigerian students are now on their way back to Nigeria.

According to Hamid Alhassan, one of the popular Nigerian students in Sudan who kept on calling the attention of the authorities concerned about the situation on the ground, he confirmed that buses were provided for the Nigerian students to be taken out of the war zone. He posted that “We are now in Atbara, 6hrs and 287km away from Khartoum. We still have another 7hrs and 492km to go to Port Sudan, the final extraction point.

TDR confirmed that Hamid has been reporting the development right from the beginning through live streaming and telling the Nigerian authorities and the whole world about the situation. Sometimes heavy gunfire from the anti-aircraft gun was heard while he was explaining the situation on the ground. According to him, the Nigerian students suffered traumatic experiences during their waiting period while all other nationals were evacuated.

Another student who sent viral videos online, Fauziyya, also sent another video praising the Nigerian government and thanking all those who have shared their stories with the world. She said that they are now very happy and are about to return to Nigeria. She also appealed to all to continue for their safe return to Nigeria as they are right now on their way.

initially, there were reports of some corrupt practices and dubious transactions which were said to have crept in between the Nigerian embassy in Sudan, the bus drivers and the neglect by the Nigerian authorities on the evacuation. However, the students are now confirmed to be out of Khartoum, and they will hopefully reach Nigeria on Monday.

By Muhammadu Sabiu 
 
The Federal Government of Nigeria said in Abuja that it had spent $1.2 million to send 40 buses in Sudan to pick up at least 2,400 stranded Nigerians.
 
Geoffrey Onyeama, the minister of foreign affairs, revealed this to the State House reporters shortly after this week’s Federal Executive Council meeting, which was held in the Aso Rock Villa’s Council Chambers in Abuja.
 
According to Onyeama, the exorbitant expense of the evacuation was necessary to cover security for the eleven-hour trip from Aswan to Cairo and the eight-hour journey from Luxol to Cairo, Egypt.
 
Despite their agreement to end hostilities at midnight on Monday, the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces reportedly resumed fighting on Wednesday.
 
The evacuation attempt that was scheduled for Tuesday was unsuccessful because of logistical issues.
 

By Muhammadu Sabiu 

India is soon to overtake China as the world’s most populated country, according to the United Nations Population Division.

John Wilmoth, the director of the UN Population Division, stated this at a press conference held on Monday at the UN’s New York headquarters.

Wilmoth asserted that the fertility rates in the two countries were the primary cause of this trend, stating that China and India together made up more than one-third of the world’s eight billion people.

Wilmoth was quoted as saying, “By the end of April, India’s population is expected to reach 1,425,775,850 people, with projections indicating further growth for several decades more.

“That’s slightly higher than China’s global record of 1.4 billion in 2022.

“China’s population reached its peak size in 2022 and has begun to decline.

“Projections indicate that the size of the Chinese population could drop below one billion before the end of the century.”

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.
 
 

By Muhammadu Sabiu 

South Korea announced Friday that it would send a military aircraft and soldiers to evacuate South Korean citizens stuck in Sudan, where fighting has claimed hundreds of lives since it started last week.

Similar actions are being taken by Japan, which on Friday dispatched a military jet to attempt to retrieve its citizens from the country affected by the violence.

Violence between soldiers loyal to Sudan’s army head Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his deputy, Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, who leads the paramilitary Rapid Support Force (RSF), broke out on Saturday, killing more than 300 people.

Despite calls from world powers for end-of-Ramadan peace, there were numerous gunshots and explosions Friday in Khartoum, the capital, and other parts of the country.

By Muhammadu Sabiu 
 
Nigerians studying in Sudan have written the Nigerian government to evacuate all its citizens trapped there, especially in the capital city of Khartoum where the military and paramilitary are fighting.
 
This is coming after some days since the fight had started, which left hundreds either killed or injured.
 
Reports have indicated that thousands of people are trapped in the city of Khartoum with no access to basic needs like food and medicine.
 
The National Association of Nigerian Students in Sudan made this request in a letter to the federal government.
 
The letter reads, “We write this to Nigerian Government in respect to the current and ongoing conflict that erupts between the Sudan military and paramilitary forces in these past days; particularly in Khartoum, the capital city where constant gunfire, explosions and airstrike attacks dominate its vicinity and environs (where a score of Nigerian Students study).
 
“2. The Nigerian Students have been stranded in fears with no access to basic needs equipment and have been facing dangerous threats. We hereby write soliciting and yearning for the Nigerian Government’s intercession to rescue and send for an immediate evacuation of the Nigerian students that are stuck in the center of the ongoing war.
 
“3. We strongly hope that our call for rescue to our dear nation Nigeria will be responded to with immediate effect.
 
 

By ImamMalik Abdullahi Kaga

“From the small island of Madeira to the bright lights of Manchester, Cristiano Ronaldo’s journey was one of hard work and relentless dedication” — Peter Drury.

“Madiera, Manchester, Madrid, Turin and Manchester again” — Peter Drury.

Cristiano Ronaldo needs no introduction in the footballing world and beyond. He is one of the greatest football players in history and a complete inspiration for millions worldwide. But many people need to learn the story behind Ronaldo’s rise to success.

Born in Funchal, Madeira, a remote island in Portugal, Ronaldo grew up impoverished. His family was not wealthy; his father worked as a kit man at a local football club. Yet, despite his challenges, Ronaldo’s passion for the game was strong, and he started playing football at a tender age.

After showcasing promise as a young player, Ronaldo joined the youth academy of a local club, Andorinha, when he was only eight years old. Even as a young player, he showed promise, and at the age of 12, he caught the eye of a scout from Sporting CP, one of Portugal’s top clubs. But convincing his family to let him go was difficult, and his father encouraged him to train harder and pursue his passion.

At Sporting, Ronaldo worked very hard to turn his dreams comes reality, and soon he became a star player. He debuted in the Sporting first team when he was a teenager, precisely 17 years old, and his performances caught the eye of scouts from some of Europe’s biggest clubs. Eventually, in 2003, he signed for Manchester United, one of the biggest clubs in the world at the time he signed for them where he made his footballing Godfather– Sir Alex Ferguson.

Ronaldo’s time at Manchester United was a turning point in his career. Although his first season was tough, he improved every year, and his talent and hard work were soon impossible to ignore. He played a crucial role in helping Manchester United win three Premier League titles, one FA Cup, and one UEFA Champions League trophy.

Ronaldo signed for Real Madrid for a world-record transfer fee of €94 million in 2009. But despite the astronomical transfer fee, Ronaldo’s performances continued to improve, and he emerged as one of the best players in the world. He won four UEFA Champions League titles and two La Liga titles with Real Madrid. He became one of the club’s greatest players in history before he departed to the Italian giant, Juventus.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s move to Juventus in 2018 surprised many football fans, as he was widely regarded as the face of Real Madrid. However, he quickly proved his worth at Juventus, becoming the talisman for the team as they won their eighth consecutive Serie A title.

In his first season at the club, Ronaldo scored 28 goals in all competitions, and his performances helped Juventus reach the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League. Despite a disappointing exit from the competition, Ronaldo’s impact on the team was evident as they continued to dominate domestically. He has since become a fan favourite, and his incredible work ethic and dedication to the sport have earned him the respect and admiration of fans across the globe.

In 2021, Cristiano Ronaldo returned to his former club, Manchester United, after spending several years with Real Madrid and Juventus. The announcement of his return to Old Trafford was met with waves of excitement from United fans, who remembered the impact he made during his first stint with the club. Ronaldo’s arrival brought a sense of renewed optimism to United, and many believed that he would be the key to helping the team win their first Premier League title since 2013.

Ronaldo’s return to Old Trafford was nothing short of spectacular. In his first game back, he scored two goals against Newcastle United, and his performances throughout the season were consistently excellent. However, United’s decision to sell him to Al-Hilal, a Saudi Arabian team, after the 2022 World Cup shocked many fans, who believed that the club should have done everything possible to keep him.

Ronaldo’s transfer to Al Nasar marked the end of an era for Manchester United. Although many fans were disappointed to see him leave, they knew that it was a decision that he had made for personal reasons, and they wished him all the best in his future endeavours. Despite his departure, Ronaldo’s legacy at Old Trafford will live on, and his return to the club will always be remembered as one of the most exciting moments in United’s history.

Today, Ronaldo is a global icon, a game legend, and a role model for millions of people worldwide. He has worked hard to overcome life’s challenges, and his dedication and hard work have paid off. His journey from poverty to sporting superstardom inspires all who aspire to greatness.

In conclusion, Cristiano Ronaldo’s story is a story of passion, talent, determination, and hard work. It is a story that teaches us that success is possible if we believe in ourselves and are willing to work hard to achieve our dreams. Cristiano Ronaldo’s journey from poverty to the world’s biggest sports star is remarkable, and his legacy will continue to inspire generations.

Imammalik Abdullahi Kaga writes from Borno State University.

By Muhammadu Sabiu 

Bayern Munich have suspended Sadio Mané after he punched his teammate Leroy Sane.

Following Bayern’s 3-0 loss to Manchester City on Tuesday night, Mane and Sane got into an argument in the dressing room.

The Senegalese international confronted Sane after the game because he was upset with how Sane treated him on the pitch.

He lost his cool and hit Sane in the face, leaving him with a bloody lip.

The suspension, according to reports, is until further notice.