A civil society organisation, the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), has labelled the approval of $1.2 million for the evacuation of stranded Nigerian students in Sudan as a ‘fake’ evacuation plan and another avenue to embezzle money by the officials involved.
The Executive Director of CISLAC, Auwal Rafsanjani, who maintained this stance in a statement in Abuja on Saturday, expressed the group’s displeasure at the plight of the students who were desperate to get to their families going by the disheartening videos the students released of their ordeals during the evacuation process.
Rafsanjani who wondered why some of the students were made to pay money to the bus drivers conveying Nigerians out of troubled Sudan, alleged that the plight of the students was not of concern to the Nigerian officials who were only out to force the government, while the federal government had remained unperturbed as it failed to explain the situation.
“We are worried that students are contributing the little they have to pay for their transportation to neighbouring countries which is very risky and dangerous because the government has made fake promises to provide transportation to evacuate them”, Rafsanjani said.
“Over 5,500 Nigerians have been stranded in Sudan due to the fighting between warring factions since April 15. The escalation of the conflict led Countries to evacuate their Nationals.
“However, in Nigeria’s case, controversy surrounded its citizens’ evacuation. While some students had complained of neglect, the federal government said the evacuation commenced on Wednesday.
“But the Nigerians being evacuated could not arrive in Abuja on Friday, contrary to the Federal government’s claim. This is not good for our image.
“Other smaller countries have succeeded in evacuating their subjects in Sudan; if a country like Uganda can evacuate their citizens, what is our government waiting for?
“We believe that if their children are involved, they would have taken swift actions to evacuate them, but these are children from poor homes, that is why excuses are being given.
“The body language of the Nigerian government oozes complacency and an act that they do not care about Nigerians,” Rafsanjani added.
