Uneasy calm is manifesting among Nigerians studying in Ukraine following the rise of crisis at the Russian/ Ukraine border.
Ukraine, a Soviet republic, was once a part of the Russian Empire before it gained independence in 1991 during the split of the United Socialist Soviet Republic.
According to Associated Press, a decision by an ex-Ukrainian President, Viktor Yanukovych, to reject an association agreement with the European Union and choosing to favour closer ties with Russia sparked a mass protest that led to the president’s impeachment.
AP noted that, in 2015, a peace agreement was brokered by France and Germany, leading to the end of large scale battles that left sporadic skirmishes in their wake. At the beginning of 2022, Ukraine lamented that over 90,000 Russian troops were stationed at a site close to the border of both countries.
The Ukrainian Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov on Friday also said that number of Russian troops near Ukraine and Crimea, an annexe of Russia, was estimated at 94,300 and warned of a large escalation.
AP further reported that Russia accused Ukraine of dishonouring the 2015 peace deal – Russia required Ukraine to grant autonomy to rebel regions and offer amnesty to rebels – and criticised the West and NATO allies for providing Ukraine with weapons.
However, Russia’s President, Vladimir Putin, was quoted as saying that attempts to reclaim the east by Ukraine would lead to “grave consequences for Ukrainian statehood.”
The development had made countries to urge their citizens to leave Ukraine. The United States of America on Friday warned of an impending invasion of Russian forces on Ukraine and ordered non-essential staff members to leave the US embassy in Kyiv.
According to British Broadcasting Corporation, the invasion was predicted to start with the aerial bombing that could endanger the lives of citizens and make departures difficult.
The United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Belgium, Estonia, Lithuania and Norway also directed their citizens to vacate Ukraine within the next 48 hours amid warnings of Russia’s imminent bombardment.
The Federal Government is also not left out as it urged Nigerians in Ukraine to remain calm and be security conscious.
One of the Nigerians studying in Ukraine, a part-three pharmacy student of the University of Pharmacy, Kharkov, Samuel Amadi-Okocha, said there was palpable fear and tension in the minds of people in his vicinity due to growing tension.
He noted that there was no arrangement by the government to evacuate Nigerians from the country.
Amadi-Okocha said, “For me in the city where I am, I am coping well. There is no real evacuation of Nigerians as far as I know, although some of my friends plan to leave the country soon. For now, all I know is the soldiers are at the border and a lot of countries are advising their citizens to leave the country.
The pharmacist-in-training appealed to the President, Major Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) to emulate other countries who had requested their citizens to leave the country and to make plans towards the evacuation of Nigerians as well.
He added, “So far so good all they have done is advice us against travelling and moving at night. They advised those in the Eastern part of Ukraine to be extra careful. They also gave a link where we can put our names and numbers as well as other important information about ourselves.”
Amadi-Okocha said his family in Nigeria were worried about him, adding that he assured them to keep calm,
According to him, lectures are still being held in classrooms and on online.
Also, a 500 level medical student at Ivano-Frankivsk National Medical University, Enuh Williams, said that there was fear on the faces of students, adding that despite this, online lectures and physical classes still held.
He added, “It’s different from the pattern in Nigeria. We already registered our personal details on a link the embassy provided in case there is a need for evacuation.”
William, who is also the president of Nigerian students in his city, stated that the atmosphere was tense.
Also speaking, another Nigerian student in Ukraine, Oyebisi Stephen, said there was calmness at the moment in the European country.
The fifth-year medical student at the Ivano Frankivsk National Medical University however added that the growing anxiety was because of pressure from families who had loved ones in Ukraine and that US’ order for its citizens to leave the country.
He said, “As for classes, they are ongoing online. We will know more about the situation on Monday because that is when the school will make an official statement.’’
In her contribution, a third-year computer engineering student in a university in, Amarachi Nwabia, said they had heard diverse rumours about the growing tension and seeking necessary information
She added, “Classes are online in school. My family said I should stay safe.’’
Like other students, the parents of Haruna Gandu, a sixth-year general medicine student of Ivano- Frankivsk National Medical University, are worried.
He told Sunday PUNCH that lectures were still ongoing, adding that “Our families are panicky but we have been reassuring them. I would really appreciate if provisions are made on standby.’’
Another Nigerian studying in Ukraine, Raymond Ojima, noted that there was tension everywhere in the country, stating that it building up every day.
The 500 level medical student at Ivano Frankivsk, said, “Evacuation is a must with the level at which things are going. From my own opinion and observations, nothing much has been done by the embassy. Lectures are going on but the reality of things still stand.’’
Commenting, Acting-President of the National Association of Nigerian Students in Ukraine, Eunice Eleaka, pleaded with the Federal Government to come to their aid.
Eleaka said, “We plead that the Nigerian government comes to our rescue if the situation escalates. We wish not to experience the horror which some Nigerians experienced in 2014 in Ukraine. We hope that our beloved country would do its best to ensure our safety by making available the flight that would evacuate the students as soon as possible. We are following the news, and we know that there is tension across the world, and the tension rose to a maximum in Ukraine today (Saturday) after the President of the United States of America, Joe Biden, asked US citizens who are still in Ukraine to leave within the next 48 hours.
“We are also aware that diplomatic talks with the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, have not been favourable so far, and troops might invade Ukraine any moment from now. We sent a letter to the Nigerian embassy in Ukraine earlier on, but we have yet to get a response. Most countries have asked for the evacuation of their citizens so everyone believes the chances of war has risen drastically since earlier on Saturday, and the majority of the foreigners who are still in Ukraine are Africans, as others left earlier under the instruction of their governments.’’
Another Nigerian studying in Ukraine, Victoria Adebayo, told one of our correspondent that their Indian colleagues informed them that their government sent a registration link to them to fill a form to know the number of students willing to go back home.’’
She added that though the Ukrainian government assured them that nothing was going to happen, they had tried to contact the Nigerian embassy to know their plans for them in case there was a crisis.
Adebayo added, “We hope that next week the government will put some plans in place to evacuate those who wish to leave because many of us cannot afford the flight fee back home. It costs about N400,000 to get a flight ticket to Nigeria from Ukraine. It is a lot of money and we have no choice but to rely on government evacuation, if the situation escalates. This is the time when our government needs to come through for us. The Nigerian government should put us in their plans like other countries are doing.’’
When contacted for comment on the issue, the Nigerian Ambassador to Ukraine, Shina Alege, stated that they were hoping for the best.
Alege said, “We are hoping for the best, as all sides to the conflict are well engaged in frenzied diplomatic discussions aimed at finding amicable resolutions to the crisis. We remain hopeful as we continue to monitor the developments and we are assuring our nationals resident in Ukraine of the needful as we urge them to remain calm. Be assured that we have been assuring Nigerians in Ukraine as well as their families in Nigeria of their safety.’’
He also asked Sunday PUNCH to contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for further clarifications.
Earlier, the Federal Government urged Nigerians in the European country to remain calm and be security conscious amid the growing tension.
The Chairman/CEO of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, NIDCOM, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, spoke in a statement.
She assured that the Nigerian Embassy in Kiev, Ukraine, was doing all it could to ensure the safety and security of all Diaspora Nigerians in Ukraine.
The NIDCOM boss went further to urge Nigerians in that country to visit the Embassy website and follow the registration process.
In that regard, a statement from the Nigerian Embassy in Kiev, Ukraine, was released for necessary action relating to emergencies and concerns in the state.
The statement read in part, “In view of the current developments in Ukraine, all Nigerians resident in Ukraine and environs, including students, and their relations in Nigeria, are hereby advised to contact the Embassy of Nigeria in Kiev, Ukraine, for matters pertaining to enquiries, consular and welfare requests and emergencies on: “+380632353417; +380631954965; +380442597767; +380442581854; +380442599942; and/or [email protected]; as well as: Nigeriaklevélyahoo.com”
The statement reiterated that Nigerians in Diaspora should be vigilant and avoid unnecessary movements, especially to identified hotspots in Eastern Ukraine.
- Additional report by JANET OGUNDEPO
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