Sudan Crisis: Nigeria Concludes Evacuation As Total Number Of Rescued Citizens Falls Short Of Estimate

The Federal Government of Nigeria on Sunday said that it has brought back the last batch of stranded Nigerians totaling 2,518 returnees, thereby marking the end of the emergency evacuation of stranded Nigerians in war-torn Sudan.

The total figure disclosed by the Federal Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development fall short of the figures of stranded Nigerians earlier announced by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama.

Onyeama who appeared on a Channels Television program in April 2023, when the crisis in Sudan had already begun, revealed that stranded Nigerians in Sudan that were ready for evacuation were about 5,500.

“We have been given the cost estimate and all the details. They gave us a figure of 5,500 who are ready for evacuation.
“The only viable way out is by road. Of course, it’s safe. So we want to require the government to provide some security and a safe corridor out,” he had said.

But from the figures disclosed by the ministries a week ago, THE WHISTLER reported that the federal government was only targeting to evacuate about 2,856 stranded Nigerians from Sudan, not 5,500.

Recall that the federal government had also negotiated the sum of $1.2 million for the buses hired for the evacuation exercise from Sudan to Egypt’s border.

But on Sunday, the ministries declared a total of 2,518 returnees at the end of the evacuation exercise.

“In summary, 15 flights were deployed by the Federal Government to airlift a total number of 2,518 Nigerian nationals from Sudan, ” the ministries said in a statement signed by Amb. Janet Olisa.

However, the statement implied that Nigerians may still be stranded in the war zone.

“A mop-up exercise will be organized for other Nigerians who may want to return home hereafter,” the ministries promised.

The federal government was grateful that no life was lost in the evacuation exercise.

“The Federal Government seizes this opportunity to commend and appreciate the efforts of all the personnel deployed towards the successful evacuation exercise.

“Special appreciation goes to the crew of the NAF C130, Officers and Airmen of 063 NAF Hospital, Personnel of the Nigerian Police Force & Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corp Disaster Response Units, MOH Port Health Officers, Federal Airports Authority, Air Peace, Azman Airline, Max Air, Sudanese Tarco Aviation, Dangote Group of Companies, MTN, and the Media among other partners and stakeholders.

“The Federal Government is happy to announce that no Nigerian life was lost in the course of the evacuation exercise,” the statement partly reads.