Abuja, Nigeria – The Nigerian government has revealed that 160 women claiming to be Nigerians in war-torn Sudan are unable to fly back to their home country due to the absence of valid passports. Mustapha Ahmed, the Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), made this announcement during a press briefing in Abuja on Sunday, where he discussed the progress of the evacuation efforts.
Although these women assert their Nigerian nationality, their claims remain unverified as they lack the necessary Nigerian passports. NEMA is exercising caution to ensure that only Nigerian citizens are repatriated.
Before the evacuation commenced, the Nigerian Diaspora Commission estimated that approximately three million Nigerians, including 5,000 students, resided in Sudan. However, according to Ahmed, the citizenship of many individuals asserting Nigerian identity cannot be confirmed. Some individuals have claimed Nigerian heritage through their great-grandparents up to the fifth generation, despite being born in Sudan. Nevertheless, these claims remain unverified.
Ahmed also recounted incidents of desperate Sudanese individuals attempting to board the vehicles designated for the transportation of Nigerians from Sudan to the Egypt border.
When questioned about the cost of evacuating Nigerians from Sudan, Ahmed did not provide an exact figure. However, he disclosed that Nigeria paid $22,662 as exit fees at the point of departure from Sudan and an additional $62,950 for entry visas into Egypt.
NEMA emphasized that the opportunity to return to Nigeria is available to any Nigerian citizen with verified documentation who wishes to come back to the country.
Among the 2,518 Nigerian returnees, there is a pregnant woman who reportedly gave birth while awaiting evacuation. Her newborn is the only infant among the evacuees and is currently receiving treatment for jaundice at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada.
According to NEMA, no Nigerian lives were lost as a result of the Sudanese conflict. However, 23 sick evacuees were received, with ten individuals receiving immediate medical treatment upon arrival and the remaining 13 being referred to the 108 Nigerian Airforce Hospital in Abuja.