We provide Instant breaking news alerts and information about the day's most talked-about stories around Nigeria, Africa and the world trending news.
By Derrick Bangura
The Federal Government would begin evacuating Nigerians from Ukraine tomorrow, Foreign Affairs Minister Geoffrey Onyeama told the leadership of the House of Representatives yesterday.
Onyeama, who made the announcement during a meeting with House of Representatives Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila, said federal government authorities had welcomed 204 Nigerians in Romania, Hungary, and Turkey.
Yesterday, it was learned that Air Peace Airline may be hired to transport the stranded individuals.
A statement on Sunday by Special Assistant to Presidential Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity Malam Garba Shehu, put the number of Nigerians stranded in Ukraine at more than 4,000.
Onyeama confirmed that 204 Nigerians resident in Ukraine have been received and provided accommodations by officials of Nigerian Embassy in Romania and others.
His confirmation came on a day that parents of stranded students stormed the Russian Embassy in Abuja to protest President Vladimir Putin’s order on the invasion of Ukraine by the Russian military.
Onyeama was invited by the Speaker to discuss the plight of Nigerians caught in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
The minister said the evacuation, earlier planned for yesterday, was rescheduled for tomorrow to give enough room for his ministry, the House and the Nigerian foreign missions in Ukraine, Poland and Russia to complete the formalities of moving Nigerians from Ukraine to safe borders with neighbouring countries.
The minister reassured the Speaker that things were under control in Ukraine as the Federal Government had put necessary arrangements in place to ensure the safe return of Nigerians.
According to him, the ministry, in conjunction with the missions, had in the last few days, completed formalities for Nigerians to move to safe border points from where they would be transported in buses to the airports.
He listed Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Hungary and even Russia, among the countries to be used as exit points.
The minister, who said there were about 5,600 Nigerian students in Ukraine, added that there were also non-students – some of whom might not have been legally documented.
He hold the Speaker that working closely with the governments of those countries, the ministry had secured their cooperation to grant access to Nigerians into their territories, preparatory for the evaluation.
Onyeama dismissed reports that Africans, particularly Nigerians, were not allowed to leave Ukraine or granted access into the neighbouring countries, blaming the chaos at some of the borders on “panic” and the fact that so many people were rushing at the time on hearing the sound of bombs and artillery fire.
