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Nigerian students have called on the Nigerian government to evacuate Sudan, where fighting between the military and a paramilitary force has killed hundreds of people.
PREMIUM TIMES notify how fighting broke out on Saturday in the capital Khartoum between the Sudanese army and paramilitaries Rapid Support Forces (RSF) above political power in a country torn by crisis.
Nigerian students on Wednesday a statement made by their association said that they were blockedwithout access to basic needs.
“Fear, panic and despair are one of the few emotions we are feeling today. Our lives are not safe,” Sumyyah Yusuf, a second-year medical student at Sudan International University in Khartoum, told PREMIUM TIMES.
Ms. Yusuf said it has become difficult to get anything, including food, water and electricity, because it is not safe to go out and most shops are closed or empty.
He said they (students) were trying to stay in touch with each other through social media. Although they received a note from the Nigerian embassy in Sudan, to reassure them, he said “we need more action”.
Mrs. Yusuf said Nigeria wants “its citizens out of here (Sudan)” quickly and safely.
Sadiq Haruna, a graduate of Islamic Studies at the African International University in Khartoum, confirmed that the students have no way of verifying that the memory belongs to the Nigerian embassy in Sudan.
He said that the situation he lives in is “a little bit better” after witnessing the worst days of his life.
“We students from IUA and living around IUA experienced the worst day of our lives and this is because the RSF base is behind the men’s and women’s hostels and most of the attacks were against us. For three days and three nights, we were witness to this terrible scene,” he said.
READ ALSO: Sudan: 97 dead as fighting resumes for third day
According to Mr. Haruna, the university evacuated female students from its hostels to staff quarters for safety.
He added that the students have suffered several attacks, including theft. He said some students were moving to relatively peaceful parts of the country.
According to news reports, fighting is taking place in major cities such as Khartoum and Merowe.
Mr. Haruna called on the government to come to the rescue, like it did to the Nigerian students in Ukraine.
“It’s taking time and we don’t want to lose anyone, but we’re about to…”, he appealed.
This reporter heard the sound of gunshots while talking to Mr. Haruna in the background.
The Nigerian government speaks
However, the federal government, through the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), early on Thursday said it had received the letter from the students’ association.
NIDCOM in a statement signed by Gabriel Odu assured that the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) was in consultation with the Nigerian mission and other relevant agencies.
He called on all Nigerian students in Sudan and Nigerians living in the country to be security conscious and calm.
The official copy of the remarks that the students spoke about was seen by PREMIUM TIMES in a WhatsApp group “Nigerian community in Sudan”.
A user who shared his posts signed off with ‘ambassador’ but didn’t give his name.
The Embassy in the letter appealed to Nigerians to exercise caution and restraint, stating that it is in touch with all relevant stakeholders in Khartoum and Abuja respectively for the protection and welfare of Nigerians in Sudan.
“The Embassy is making plans to evacuate Nigerian nationals with the approval of the Federal Government of Nigeria, which will be communicated to you as soon as the situation permits and in due course,” the letter said.
The memorandum attributed to the ambassador urged nations to be safe and beware of fake news circulating on social media, adding that the Embassy will maintain close contact with the leadership of the Union of Nigeria for further consular assistance and updates.
Struggle in Sudan
Fighting between the Sudanese army and RSF paramilitaries has entered its sixth day after four failed ceasefire attempts.
At least 300 people have been killed in the fighting and nearly 3,200 more have been injured in Khartoum, the western Darfur region and other states, according to the World Health Organization’s Ahmed Al-Mandhari.
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