Security

Sudan Crisis: FG Rolls Out Emergency Numbers for Stranded Nigerians

By Web News 404

By Nafiu Busari

The Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development have expressed concern over the situation in Sudan.

Through the ministers, the Federal Government has published emergency numbers for the coordination of the evacuation of Nigerians stranded in the country.

A joint statement by the ministers in charge of both Ministries, Mr Geoffrey Onyeama and Hajia Sadiya Faruk urged parents to advise their wards to be calm as concerted efforts are being made to evacuate all Nigerians stranded in Sudan.

The joint statement signed by the Permanent Secretaries of Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management and Social Development, states that Nigerian students are also advised to maintain constant communication with the Nigerian Embassy in Sudan for further directives.

Furthermore, the statement also advised all Nigerian nationals to guard against undertaking the treacherous journey to the borders on their own, in view of the dangers involved.

The statement adds that the Nigerian Embassy officials in Sudan can be reached through the following numbers: +2348035866773, +249961956284, +2348063636862, +249961956274, and +2349066663493.

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Transportation

Air Peace Offers to Evacuate Nigerians from Sudan

By Web News 421

The Chairman, Air Peace, Allen Onyema has expressed the willingness to evacuate Nigerians who are stranded in Sudan, North-East Africa free of charge.

In a statement on Monday, he said Nigerian students and others stranded in the war-racked nation urgently “need our help.”

”If the Nigerians could be moved to a neighbouring country the airline would fly there and evacuate them, as Sudan’s airspace is closed from civil aviation flights”, he suggested.

Onyema said he is compelled to help because Nigeria cannot afford to lose her citizens in that country, and that everything must not be left to the government alone, especially as the situation calls for urgency and immediate action.

“It will be a privilege and honour of tremendous pride that we will be out there to give every Nigerian stranded in Sudan a sense of pride and oneness in their country”.

“We are very ready to do it immediately. No time wasting. Any action that will promote national pride, national cohesion, peace and unity, we are for it. Again, we have no apologies for believing in our nation and loving the nation despite certain national challenges. If they are moved to Kenya or Uganda or any other country, we will move in to get them out. Some parents have started calling on us to help. We are ready to do this again and again,” he said.

In 2019, Air Peace deployed flights to evacuate Nigerians in South Africa when the xenophobic attack against Africans living in that country threatened the lives of Nigerians.

Meanwhile,

The Federal Government has assured Nigerians in Sudan that their safety is its priority.

In a statement from the Embassy in Khartoum, the Charge D’ Affairs, H.Y Garko, has urged Nigerian students to remain indoors while it makes arrangements for their safe evacuation from that country.  

It also advised the students to disregard the notice circulated by the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) in Sudan, calling on them to converge at the African International University, NANSS office, and El-Razi University, for evacuation or to bring $100 or $200 for evacuation.  

According to the statement, it is still dangerous to embark on a journey toward the borders of Sudan without security clearance and guarantee from the Sudanese authorities.  

On Saturday, April 15, the Federal Government said it has set up a committee to facilitate the rescue of its citizens from Sudan.

In a statement, the Head of the Press Unit, National Emergency Management Agency NEMA, Manzo Ezekiel said the committee consists of professional emergency responders as well as search and rescue experts.

Since the unrest started about a week ago in Sudan, there have been calls from Nigerians including the Nigeria Labour Congress for the immediate evacuation of Nigerians from that country.

FRCN/Adebukola Aluko

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Economy

Journalists Forum Cries out for Stranded Nigerians in Saudi Arabia

By Web News 965

Days after the Journalists International Forum for Migration (JIFORM) raised the alarm over the critical situation of some trafficked 30 Nigerian ladies stranded in Lebanon, the body has again uncovered another set of Nigerians in hundreds allegedly battling with similar fate in Saudi Arabia.

JIFORM President, Ajibola Abayomi, in statement made available to the media on Sunday said the body had profile of 138 ladies allegedly trafficked to the Arabian nation by a company identified as TTCO.

Some of the names on list included 23 years old Amina Idris an indigene of Kano whose passport is being withheld by her host, Atanda Easter Idowu, 42 with passport number A09118374; Salawu Yetunde Victoria, 37, with passport number A08233422 both from Oyo State and Gift Israel Johnnu, 25, with passport number A09136678 from Rivers State. 

He said the revelation was unraveled in the data made available to JIFORM by the Rescue Africans In Slavery (RAIS), a foundation advocating against human trafficking and child labour.

“We commend the spirited effort of Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State for picking the bills of 55 victims out of 120 list of trafficked ladies in Lebanon recently released by the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM). 

“Since we launched rescue campaign that led to the rescue of the 30 girls and others in Lebanon by the Nigerian government, several international agencies had been reaching out to us and we have been directing them to relate with the National Agency for Trafficking In Persons (NAPTIP) accordingly. JIFORM is committed to humanitarian service and we are willing to do more” Ajibola stated.

Calling for another prompt attention from the Federal Government, the JIFORM President said some of the ladies at different locations in the country were in critical health condition and needed to be attended to in good time.

Also worried by the situation, the Executive Director of RAIS, Ms Omotola Fawunmi said although the temporal arrangement had been made to give the ladies first aid treatment in Saudi Arabia, however pleaded for action to save the lives of the  victims of human trafficking.

One of the victims who spoke under anonymity, an English and Social Studies graduate from Adeniran Ogunsanya Colleague of Education, Lagos state while appealing for help said all efforts to get the attention of the Nigerian ambassador in Saudi Arabia had proved abortive as non- English speaking staff placed as front desk officers refused to give them attention. 

The 26 years old lady who said she was on salary equivalent of N70, 000 per month lamented that she was fed up with hash treatments being meted to her by her host. 

The Ogun state indigene said she applied as a teacher through her agents over two years ago only to be given out as house maid when she arrived at the country.

Adedayo Adelowo