Amid Russian military’s continued invasion of Ukraine on the orders of Russian President, Vladimir Putin, the Federal Government has directed Nigerians fleeing Ukraine to four Polish borders for their safety.
Some officials at the Nigerian Embassy in Poland, Warsaw, confirmed to Sunday PUNCH that over 100 Nigerians had crossed into the Polish border.
The Chairman/CEO, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, in a viral video on Saturday said out of the eight borders between Poland and Ukraine, four had been recommended for Nigerians to use.
She also advised Nigerians to move in groups so they could account for one another in the journey towards the border. She asked those in Eastern Ukraine to endeavour to move closer to the border, especially Western Ukraine, through train or bus.
She cautioned that moving towards the border could come with its own dangers, but that it was important for affected Nigerians to keep their passports and their student visa as they ply the routes towards the border.
Dabiri-Erewa added, “For Nigerians in Ukraine trying to cross to Poland, there are eight borders between Poland and Ukraine, four borders are recommended; these are the four borders: Hrebenne – Rava Ruska; Korczowa – Krakovets; Medyka – Shehyni; Budomierz – Hurszew.”
She stressed that Nigerian volunteer groups as well as staff of the Nigerian Embassy would be at the borders to help them out. She noted that Nigerians in parts of Ukraine that were not directly affected by the invasion should stay where they were, adding that the commission’s website contained all relevant information, including numbers to call.
In the advisory she issued, she stated, “Students should make every effort to get to the Ukrainian- Polish border or Ukrainian – Romanian border. It is vital that students move in groups. There is power in number. Groups should ensure that they are safe and accounted for. Students from Eastern Ukraine should make their best effort to reach a city in Western Ukraine. The closer you are to the border, the better.
“When going to the border, your options are via train or bus. Both routes come with risk factors. Trains from Lviv to the Polish border are free. However, there are many people trying this route. Do not be discouraged but try your best to enter the right train. Coaches/buses from Lviv can take you to Poland. You will need to have all your documentation with you. Please continue to stay in groups. Keep your passports and student visa on you at all times.”
Similarly, a public notice by the Embassy of Nigeria in Warsaw, Poland, assured Nigerians that the government had made necessary arrangements with the Polish government in order to ease the admission of Nigerians into Poland.
The Nigerian Ambassador to Poland, Christian Ugwu, stated, “The embassy staff and volunteers are stationed at the Polish – Ukrainian Border with bus and vans to pick up Nigerians from the border points.”
Some embassy officials told one of our correspondents on Saturday evening that the embassy was in the process of moving Nigerians from the borders to the Poland’s capital city.
An official said, “What we are currently working on is to get Nigerians from the crowded borders to safety in Warsaw. Too many people are moving into the country from Ukraine, including Nigerians and other nationalities.”
Another credible source at the Nigerian Embassy in Warsaw said although he could not ascertain the total number of Nigerians that had moved from Ukraine into Poland, estimates showed that there were over 100 of them.
He added, “We cannot ascertain the total number of Nigerians that have entered Poland from Ukraine at the moment, however, from our observation, we could infer that there are hundreds of them scattered across the various borders between Poland and Ukraine.”
Meanwhile, in addition to the efforts made by the Federal Government on the issue, officials of the Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation, Poland, also noted that no fewer than 100 Nigerians have made their way through the Polish borders.
The Chairperson of NIDOP, Dr Tade Omotosho, said the organisation was working closely with the Federal Government to accommodate Nigerians who had successfully crossed the border.
He said in a brief phone interview with one of our correspondents that the government had established an arrangement that had given Nigerians in Ukraine access to Poland.
He added, “As I speak to you I have about 20 (Nigerians) in my house. By my count, there are still 20 that I know but there are still more. It is tense, it is difficult but we are ensuring that every Nigerian seeking solace is being attended to.
“Nigerians in Poland have been very helpful. The Nigerian government has been helpful, but in my opinion the response was quite late. The passports were stamped at the border; I believe they were granted entry on humanitarian grounds. We are also talking to lawyers to get them legalized (stay) in Poland.”
An official of NIDOP, Frank Okonkwo, also noted that over 100 Nigerians have crossed the border into Poland.
He said, “It is a full-blown war, we are doing our best to help our people who are stranded in Ukraine to be able to exit to Poland, Romania, Sloviakia and Moldova. I particularly advise that they should try other countries instead of Poland because the country’s (Poland) border is saturated at the moment. We have more than 150,000 refugees including Nigerians and other nationalities.
“I could say tentatively over 100 or more have been able to cross (into Poland), but some people are not staying very close to the border. Most of them are struggling to find their way to the border. A lot of them are still in Kyiv and are asking questions about how they will get to the border. It is pertinent that they use their Google map. The bombing is getting too much, else they would stranded in the city.”
He asked the Federal Government to assist the stranded citizens to book a hotel before they can get a connecting flight to Nigeria.
An executive member of NIDOP, who identified himself as Remi, also stressed that fleeing Nigerians would have to make efforts to cross from the Ukrainian side to Poland before NIDOP could pick them up.
He noted that there was no form of racial discrimination from the Ukrainian Immigration as all Africans were allowed to go through.
He added, “They were not focused on ethnicity. We discovered that at 12pm, they started giving priority to women and children which is normal during a crisis of such. Children of 16 years and below are allowed to go through.”
He noted that NIDOP had made arrangement for accommodation and feeding and that those who have crossed to Poland would be sheltered for two days after which they are expected to be on their way to Lagos.
In its response to the crisis, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Saturday said Nigerians who were stuck in Ukraine would be evacuated through the embassy in Warsaw, Poland.
It was earlier reported that the Speaker, House of Representatives called on a private airline, Air Peace, to help in evacuating stranded students from Ukraine.
A high-rise apartment block was hit by a missile overnight in Kyiv as fighting raged between Russian attackers and Ukrainian forces, officials said Saturday.
Emergency services said the number of victims was “being specified” and that an evacuation was underway.
The Polish Deputy Interior Minister, Pawel Szefernaker, said 100,000 people have crossed the border into Poland from Ukraine.
However, Ukrainian Health Minister, Viktor Lyashko, said that 198 people, including three children, had died since the Russian invasion into the country on Thursday, February 24, adding that 1,115 people, including 33 children, were wounded.
Fleeing citizens allege racism at bus, train stations
Meanwhile, some of the fleeing Nigerians and their relatives who spoke Sunday PUNCH have alleged racism and passport seizure by Ukrainians also trying to flee.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffery Onyeama, had said that while the country was concerned about the safety of the 5,600 Nigerians in Ukraine, rescuing them in the middle of the Russian aggression might be risky. He added that Ukrainian Ambassador to Nigeria, Kirdoda Valerii, assured him that there was no discrimination between Ukrainians and foreigners in the safety measures.
But some fleeing Nigerians in separate interviews with our correspondent on Saturday stated otherwise. One of them, who preferred to be identified as Omotoyinbo, said he found it difficult to enter a bus en route to the border as children, women, Ukrainians and other white people were prioritised.
“It has actually not been easy. Imagine having to struggle with racism during a war. My friends and I were trying to board a bus because the driver of the car we hired at first said he could not get to the borders. The first bus we tried boarding; we were told children and women were being prioritised until we saw white folks entering and we the black folks were left behind.
“Things are getting intense and everyone is trying to escape. This is the moment when humanity should prevail but we can’t even get out of here because of racism. Some Nigerians in Poland have contacted us but we need to get out of here first.”
Another affected person, Blessing Inyang, said, “I am stranded at Lviv train station right now.
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