126 stranded Nigerians arrive Abuja from Sudan

No fewer than 126 Nigerians stranded in Sudan have arrived in Abuja following the continued crisis in the war-torn country.

The returnees arrived on a Tarco Aircraft ST-TAL B737-300 at about 5:15 p.m. on Saturday, June 24.

The returnees were received by the officials of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Ministry of Foreign Affairs, National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, NIDCOM, and NAPTIP, among others.

This brings to total 2,660 stranded Nigerians evacuated to the country in 16 batches since the crisis broke out in Sudan.

The returnees were given N100,000 cash as well as food and drinks upon arrival.

The NEMA Director-General, Mustapha Ahmed, who welcomed the returnees on behalf of the Federal Government, said arrangements had been made to return more Nigerians stranded in Sudan.

Ahmed, who was represented by the Director, Special Duties, NEMA, Dr Onimode Bandele, said: “This evacuation started before the end of the last administration, and being a caring government, President Bola Tinubu administration inherited the process and gave us the backing we need to bring them back.

“The success we are seeing today is because the Federal Government supported us and the director-general of NEMA has been on top of the situation, getting these flights out of Port Sudan.”

Speaking, a returnee who had stayed in Sudan for six years, Akwari Henry, appreciated the Federal Government for bringing them back to Nigeria.

Henry said: “I was playing football for a club in Sudan and I have been there for six years. I do not pray we face this same crisis in Nigeria because the experience has been traumatising.

“I looked forward to being invited by football clubs in Nigeria to start life again,” he said.

Another returnee, Bilqis Bamijoko, also appreciated the Federal Government for evacuating them back to the country.

“Since April when the war began, we have not been ourselves, we could not sleep not to talk of eating good food but I am happy to be back home,” she said.

The conflict between rival factions of the military government of Sudan began on April 15, 2023, when clashes broke out in cities across Khatourm and Dafur regions.

The Star

Segun Ojo