Nigeria: Sudan - Nigeria to Commence 'Second Phase' of Evacuation Saturday

The Nigerian embassy instructed interested persons to converge at Al-Razi University and the International University of Africa, Madani Street on Saturday morning.

Although the first batch of Nigerian evacuees from Sudan are yet to arrive in their home country, the second phase of evacuation will commence Saturday, officials have announced.

Nigeria commenced the first phase of the evacuation of its citizens from troubled Sudan on Wednesday with the hiring of 40 buses. Thirteen of the buses conveyed the first batch of the evacuees to Egypt from where they were supposed to be airlifted to Nigeria and were expected to arrive yesterday.

However, the arrival of the first batch of evacuees has been delayed due to logistics and diplomatic issues at the Egyptian border, the head of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, said Thursday.

While the government is trying to resolve the challenges in Egypt, it is set to commence the second phase of the evacuation, the Nigerian embassy in Sudan has announced.

"The embassy of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in Sudan wishes to inform all Nigerian citizens who wish to be evacuated from the crisis in Sudan, that the embassy will commence the second phase of evacuation to Egypt for onward airlift to Nigeria, tomorrow 29th April, 2023," the embassy announced in a memo.

The embassy instructed interested persons to converge at Al-Razi University and the International University of Africa, Madani Street on Saturday morning.

"Individuals are required to come with one bag only," the embassy added.

The first batch of 1,600 people was scheduled to arrive in Abuja on Friday but will no longer arrive due to logistics and diplomatic issues.

Officially, there are about 5,500 Nigerian students who are expected to arrive from Sudan in the evacuation that commenced on Wednesday.

According to NEMA, 13 buses conveyed the first batch of the evacuees from Khartoum in Sudan to Aswan, Egypt from where they were to be airlifted to Nigeria.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how some Nigerian students studying in Sudan appealed to the Nigerian government for help.

Since the fighting erupted two weeks ago between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), over 500 people have been killed and almost 4,100 injured.

Several countries including the UK, Chad, the US, Saudi Arabia, Ukraine, and France amongst others have commenced the evacuation of their citizens from Sudan.

Four attempts at a ceasefire failed last week. However, the US was able to broker a partial ceasefire that has now been extended by the fighting parties even as fighting continues.

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