‘Any flight now is gravely risky’ – FG laments plight of Nigerians in Sudan

This image grab taken from AFPTV video footage on April 20, 2023, shows an aerial view of black smoke rising above the Khartoum International Airport amid ongoing battles between the forces of two rival generals. - Hundreds of people have been killed since the fighting erupted on April 15 between forces loyal to Sudan's army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his deputy, Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, who commands the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). (Photo by - / AFP)

The Federal Government has expressed concern over its inability to evacuate Nigerians in Sudan as a deadly crisis continues to plague the North African nation.

Chairman, of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, also disclosed on Friday evening on Twitter that efforts had been put in place by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the Nigerian Mission in Sudan.

She however noted that the authorities were experiencing challenges, particularly concerning airlifting Nigerian nationals out of the troubled country.

“While @nemanigeria and the Nigerian Mission in Sudan have put in place necessary arrangements, any flight now is gravely risky,” Dabiri-Erewa tweeted.

“Airlines on the ground at the airport were all burnt today, there is a curfew in place and no flights can operate.”

The NIDCOM boss stressed that humanitarian groups were making efforts to distribute food, water, and medicals, while all efforts were being put in place to hopefully get the warring parties to ceasefire.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with our citizens there, and the whole country,” she added.

The country is experiencing hostilities owing to two warring generals who seized power in a 2021 coup: army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his deputy, Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, who commands the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

Amid the crisis, Nigerian students in Sudan cried out to be evacuated from the in-crisis country.

Responding, NIDCOM on Thursday revealed that plans were already underway to see to the evacuation of Nigerians in Sudan, adding that meetings were being held as to how best to handle the evacuation process.