Disquiet as Nigerians Trapped at Sudan-Egypt Border Send SOS, Buses Stop Halfway

• Nigerians fleeing from Sudan are reportedly stranded at Atbara, about 500 kilometres to Port Sudan
• It was gathered that buses conveying them to where they would be airlifted back to Nigeria suddenly stopped halfway
• Some other stranded Nigerians have cried out for help, saying their lives may be in danger as they were denied access into Egypt

A report has it that the buses conveying the second batch of stranded Nigerians in Sudan have stopped halfway.

They were evacuated on Sunday night, April 30. The 22 buses conveying the students are heading to Port Sudan, according to a statement by the National Association of Nigerian Students- Sudan (NANSS).

The Nation learnt that all the buses stopped at Atbara, one of the states in Sudan, which is about 500 kilometres to Port Sudan, where the students are expected to be airlifted back to Nigeria.

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It was reported that the drivers stopped moving around 4 am without reason.

One of the evacuees reportedly sent a voice message, calling on Nigerians and the government to come to their aid. The woman, who spoke in Yoruba, said the bus drivers stopped with the excuse that they have not been fully paid.

Arise TV also reported that some Nigerians were trapped at the border between Sudan and Egypt. The stranded Nigerians have raised the alarm that their lives may be in danger should the Nigerian government not take immediate action to evacuate them.

In a viral video, over 400 Nigerians said they were denied access into Egypt, which subsequently led the contracted drivers to attempt dropping them off about a kilometre from the designated entry point into Egypt from the Sudanese border.

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A female voice of one of the Nigerians, speaking in Hausa, said:

“We’re not fine, we need help. They’re spreading rumours and lies that we’re now in Egypt and accommodated in the hotel. This is not true, it is a lie.”

FG explains spending $1.2m to evacuate Nigerians in Sudan

Meanwhile, the federal government reacted to the controversy following its claims of expending $1.2 million (₦552,664,441.20) to evacuate Nigerians stranded in Sudan.

Responding to the criticisms that trailed the report, the government explained that the high amount was due to the dire need of the war situation.

It issued a statement which read in part:

“The outcry over the negotiated sum of 1.2 million dollars for the buses hired for the exercise, is uncalled for."

Source: Legit.ng