Sudan war: 1,262 stranded Nigerian students beg FG for evacuation
Nigerian students numbering over 1,262 have appealed to the Federal Government to evacuate them from the Republic of Sudan where a fierce military confrontation between the Sudanese armed forces and the paramilitary group, Rapid Support Force, has claimed 330 lives with 3,200 injured.
The Secretary-General of the National Association of Nigerian Students, Sudan, Adam Mohammed, who said this in an interview with The PUNCH on Thursday, lamented that many students had run out of food.
The clashes had also displaced thousands of civilians who fled the capital, Khartoum, even as some foreign nations, including Japan, Uganda and Tanzania had begun evacuating their nationals as the violence which started on April 8 entered its 12th day on Thursday.
Until recently, the Sudanese Armed Forces, led by General Abdel al-Burhan, and the RSF paramilitary group, headed by General Mohamed Dagalo were allies.
They worked together in 2019 in a popular uprising that overthrew Sudan’s brutal dictator, Omar al-Bashir, who ruled the country for three decades.
After the coup, a power-sharing government was formed, made up of civilian and military groups.
The plan was for the interim government to rule Sudan for a few years and oversee a transition to a civilian administration but in 2021, al-Burhan, who had become chief of the power-sharing council, dissolved it, declaring he would instead hold elections in 2023.
The current fighting broke out between the army and the RSF as a result of failed negotiations over integrating the two forces ahead of the intended restoration of civilian rule.
There was disagreement over which general would be subordinate to the other, and how quickly the RSF would be incorporated into the Sudanese military.
Heavy fighting broke out on April 8, with the cities of Khartoum and Obdurman being turned into battlefields.
Though two ceasefires were agreed upon by the warring factions, both failed to stop the violence.
However, speaking with our correspondent on Thursday, the Secretary-General, NANS in Sudan, Mohammed, said no student had been hurt in the course of the war but he lamented that students were experiencing food shortages, electricity outages, and telecommunication blackouts.
Mohammed disclosed that he had written to the Federal Government about their situation, adding that moves to evacuate the stranded citizens were in top gear.
He further revealed that 1,262 Nigerian students had filled the evacuation forms as of Wednesday night.
Nigerian embassy
The Secretary-General said, “Everything is under control because the Nigerian Embassy in Sudan has spoken to the Nigerian government and preparations are ongoing. The Nigerian government is trying to send in some planes to evacuate Nigerian students in Sudan.
“Also, the members of the Parent-Guardian Association of Nigeria whose children or wards are schooling in Sudan have spoken to the Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa to assist in the evacuation of Nigerian students. In summary, the situation concerning the Nigerian students here is under control.
“Presently, none of the Nigerian students in Sudan is hurt because everyone is indoors and they have all cooperated with us. So far, no light, water, bad (telecoms) network and some students have been complaining of no food and they cannot go out and restock.
“The current number of Nigerian students that filled their forms as of last night that are ready for the evacuation is 1,262.”
Also, the President of the Nasarawa State Students Association in Sudan, Al-Ameen Ahmad, said the students took precautionary measures to avoid being hurt or killed, adding that the association tried its best in providing food to the students.
Ahmad noted that he was in touch with the authorities to facilitate the evacuation of the students, noting that the list of prospective evacuees had been compiled.
He stated, “We do not have available flights to Khartoum. So, we are just going through the processes to see how the government can help evacuate Nigerian students. We have compiled the list of students that want to be evacuated back to Nigeria. We hope things get better.
“Before the Federal Government decided to intervene, we have been taking precautionary measures such as staying indoors to avoid being hurt. From the students’ association, we are using what we have to maintain ourselves and also reach out to others. There are also some supermarkets in safer places. We go there and buy foodstuffs when we know that it is safe, and we share with our colleagues.”
Narrating his ordeal, a student living in Khartoum, Abdullah Zakari, told The PUNCH that the gunshots were terrifying.
Zakari noted, “I am facing hunger because the markets where I stay are closed. We are suffering here. Every now and then, we hear gunshots. I feel insecure because the gunshots have been on for more than a week. Even as a man, it is scary. Things are really hard here. We are facing a lot. Where I stay is very close to the barracks and you can imagine the gunshots.”
Ahmad noted that he was in touch with the authorities to facilitate the evacuation of the students, noting that the list of prospective evacuees had been compiled.
He stated, “We do not have available flights to Khartoum. So, we are just going through the processes to see how the government can help evacuate Nigerian students. We have compiled the list of students that want to be evacuated back to Nigeria. We hope things get better.
“Before the Federal Government decided to intervene, we have been taking precautionary measures such as staying indoors to avoid being hurt. From the students’ association, we are using what we have to maintain ourselves and also reach out to others. There are also some supermarkets in safer places. We go there and buy foodstuffs when we know that it is safe, and we share with our colleagues.”
Narrating his ordeal, a student living in Khartoum, Abdullah Zakari, told The PUNCH that the gunshots were terrifying.
Zakari noted, “I am facing hunger because the markets where I stay are closed. We are suffering here. Every now and then, we hear gunshots. I feel insecure because the gunshots have been on for more than a week. Even as a man, it is scary. Things are really hard here. We are facing a lot. Where I stay is very close to the barracks and you can imagine the gunshots.”
Reliving the horrors of the conflict, the President of the International University of Africa in Sudan, Mohammed Jilambu, stated, “The situation here in Sudan is horrible as students have been experiencing the awful sounds of gunshots, artilleries, bombings, the collapse of residential and governmental buildings and it’s still ongoing for almost a week non-stop. Punch
