Sudan: FG Procures 40 Buses At $1.2 Million As Air Peace Deploys Three 777 Jumbo Jets To Evacuate Nigerians

Hopes of rescue brighten for over 5,500 stranded Nigerian in Sudan as the Federal procures 40 buses at $1.2 million while Air Peace has deployed three 777 Jumbo Jets to effect their evacuation from the conflict ridden nation.

Minister of foreign affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, who disclosed government’s procurement of the buses after the Wednesday Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, however said the evacuation will be in days, though the 72-hour ceasefire nears expiring period.

His disclosure coincided with that of Chief Executive Officer of Air Peace, Allen Onyema, assuring that he would deploy three 777 Boeing aircraft to Egypt free of charge on Friday to effect evacuation of stranded Nigerians who had found their way out of Sudan.

While fielding questions on Arise News breakfast programme ‘The Morning Show’ on Wednesday, Onyema said: “I will deploy three 777 Boeing aircrafts to Egypt on Friday to bring back home Nigerians who escaped from Sudan. I would have deployed  aircrafts earlier to Sudan but it was not possible due to safety and security reasons. But I am deploying three 777 jumbo jets on Friday. I think no country stops us this time around”.

On his part, the Minister said that the government has concluded talks with the Sudanese government and they are on same page.

He said during the evacuation, priority will not be accorded any diplomat, adding that the government will also prioritise women and children.

Affirming that no Nigerian life has been lost so far, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Zubairu Dada stated that the first batch of Nigerians are being conveyed as of the time of filing this report, noting that citizens will be conveyed via buses through Egypt and consequently airlifted.

He also added that some Nigerians had already been transported to Saudi Arabia for airlifting.

The comments by the two ministers come a few hours after the first batch of buses for the evacuation of Nigerian students from Sudan arrived at the pickup points.

The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) said on Wednesday that the buses arrived on Tuesday night with more buses expected to arrive on Wednesday with help from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the Nigerian Embassy in Sudan.