The Federal Government, on Saturday, said all airports and land borders in Sudan are closed as the emergency situation in the country was very complex with fighting between warring factions going on.
It, however, stated that a search and rescue committee had been established to come up with the safest way of evacuating Nigerians stranded in the troubled nation.
The government disclosed this through the National Emergency Management Agency, stressing that it was aware of the widespread public concern in Sudan.
The Head, Press Unit, NEMA, Manzo Ezekiel, said in a statement issued in Abuja, that the attention was working with other agencies and ministries of the Federal Government to get an appropriate window to evacuate Nigerians currently trapped in Sudan.
The statement read in part, “The attention of the National Emergency Management Agency is drawn to the widespread public concern on the situation in Sudan especially in regards to the ongoing conflict and the safety, as well as well-being of stranded Nigerian citizens including hundreds of students in various universities of the country.
“It has become necessary to inform the public that NEMA is in constant communication with all relevant partners including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Nigerian Embassy in Khartoum, Sudan, the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission and security agencies, while seeking for an appropriate window of opportunity to evacuate all stranded Nigerians back home in a safe and dignified manner.
“The current emergency situation in Sudan is very complex with fighting between warring factions going on and all airports and land borders closed. NEMA is working assiduously with all its partners and is constantly compiling updated information on the situation.”
The agency said a committee had been set up comprising professional emergency responders, search and rescue experts to constantly evaluate the situation.
It said the committee would also seek for the safest way to evacuate Nigerian citizens, even if it was through a neighbouring country to Sudan.
The Director-General, NEMA Mustapha Ahmed, said NEMA was very much concerned about the conflict in Sudan and the conditions of Nigerians there.
He said the emergency agency was on top of the situation and was working on all possible options of bringing the stranded Nigerians back home to their loved ones in a safe and dignified manner.
