As the ceasefire by warring factions in the Sudanese crisis fails, Nigerians trapped at the border between Sudan and Egypt have cried out that their lives may be in danger should the Nigerian government not take immediate action to evacuate them.
The stranded Nigerians in a viral video claimed that they were left in the middle of nowhere by bus drivers contracted by the Nigerian government to transport them from Sudan into Egypt, where they were promised to be flown back to Nigeria.
The Nigerian government has continually shifted the day of the arrival of the trapped Nigerians back to the country, thereby eliciting apprehension among citizens on the safety of the 5,500 students that have shown interest in being evacuated back home and several thousands of other citizens of the country still trapped in the troubled country.
In the viral video, over 400 Nigerians said they were denied access into Egypt, which subsequently led the contracted drivers to attempt dropping them off about a kilometre from the designated entry point into Egypt from the Sudanese border.
They said it was their protest that made the buses whose drivers have attempted to drive off after dropping them, to be parked in sight.
A female voice of one of the Nigerians, speaking in Hausa, said “we have left the border, see our buses here, we’re onboard. we have so far spent five days here now. See the mats that we have been sleeping on them and under the buses while some of us sleeps inside the buses. that is how we have been surviving in this border.
“There’s intense cold because the location is in the Sahara, we have been suffering from hunger and thirst because there’s nothing for us to eat or drink. Some of us in the other buses said they’re fine because they’re been provided with meals inside their vehicles.
“But in our vehicle we’re suffering. There was even a crisis among us yesterday as those in the other vehicles wanted to go and leave us behind, maybe because they’re linked to some influential people that’s why they’re been treated well and different from us. But we resisted that attempt because if they go and leave us behind, we don’t know our fate. We’re not fine, we wanted to go, if we won’t leave then they should provide ys with food.”
She said: “We’re not fine, we need help. They’re spreading rumours and lies that we’re now in Egypt and accommodated in the hotel. This is not true, it is a lie.”
The situation of the stranded might have been confirmed by the Nigerian government as Dr.Sani Gwarzo,
Chairman Inter-Ministerial Committee on Sudan Evacuation and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Humanitarian, Disaster Management and Social Development, in an update on Sunday, said Egyptian Authorities have refused to permit 420 Nigerians to cross to Cairo for airlift.
Gwarzo, in the update while disclosing that the Nigerian government would deploy diplomatic channel to resolve the crisis, said while the Sudanese government charges $8 per person to cross their border, Egypt is requesting for $25.
He said the Nigerian government has made full payment to bus contractors for seamless transportation of stranded Nigerians, disclosing that the federal government would use Port Sudan as alternative route to move Nigerians out of troubled areas in Sudan.
Michael Olugbode in Abuja
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