Sudan crisis: Reps summon foreign minister, NEMA over evacuation of Nigerians

The House of Representatives has ordered the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to appear before it to give account of the evacuation of Nigerians from Sudan.

The Speaker of the House of Reps, Femi Gbajabiamila, gave the order at the resumed plenary in Abuja on Tuesday, May 2, on the crisis and evacuation of Nigerians from Sudan.

Gbajabiamila said, over the last few weeks, Sudan had descended into war, adding that unfortunately, such rapid descent into the carnage of violent conflict had entrapped many Nigerians resident in that country.

He said efforts were underway to ensure that Nigeria citizens resident in Sudan, as students, business people, and in other vocations, were evacuated quickly and safely.

The Speaker said the House was aware of ongoing difficulties with the evacuation efforts and the Federal Government’s response to the developments in Sudan.

“We are also mindful that some of these difficulties flow from interagency disagreements arising from overlapping mandates and the absence of established operational guidelines for such circumstances.

“While our priority is to ensure the welfare and well-being of our fellow citizens caught in this war, we must further revisit the statutory and other frameworks that have left us seemingly unprepared to respond promptly and effectively,” Gbajabiamila added.

The Speaker said the conflict in Sudan reminded the House of the fragility of nations, adding that in pursuing the country’s political objectives, “we must never lose sight of the fundamental truth”.

This according to him is that, in war, everybody loses; in peace, everybody can win, adding that all personal, partisan and sectional interests must always succumb to the overarching and overriding interest of ensuring the unity and stability of Nigeria.

”If we fail in this regard, nothing else will matter, and none of us will be absolved in the judgment of history,” he stressed.

The Star

Segun Ojo