Sudan: FG’s Promises Of Students’ Evacuation, Fake – CISLAC Says

…Says, Nigerian students paying their way

Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) has carpeted the Federal Government over what it described as ‘fake’ promise to evacuate Nigerian students in Sudan.

It specifically said that the Nigerian government has failed in its responsibility to evacuate the children of the poor masses schooling in Sudan.

CISLAC particularly noted that the stranded students were forced to take their destinies into their hands by directly paying bus drivers for movement to neighbouring countries.

These were contained in a statement on Friday by the Executive Director of CISLAC, Mr. Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, in which he expressed grave concern over the risks and danger the students have been exposed to as a result the fake promises made by the government to provide transportation for the evacuation of the students.

Musa stressed that the Nigerian government has a constitutional responsibility to ensure that the rights of citizens were protected both within and outside the country, stressing that while smaller countries had evacuated their citizens from the country, a supposed bid power like Nigeria was still playing with the lives of its citizens in the war ravaged country.

CISLAC further said; “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.

“We are worried that people are hungry and there is no concrete information from either the Embassy or the committee in charge of the buses. People are sitting outside under high temperatures with nowhere to find water to drink or food to buy.

“Other smaller countries have successfully evacuated their citizens from Sudan. If a country like Uganda can evacuate their citizens, what is the Nigerian government waiting for?

“This clearly shows that the Nigerian leaders appear not to care about their citizens and their safety. We call on the presidency and the National Assembly to take necessary steps by liaising with the African Union and other international bodies to ensure amicable resolution of the Sudan crisis,” it said.

CISLAC also called on the Federal Government to take advantage of the opportunity provided by the Sudanese government to urgently evacuate the students, stressing that if nothing is done to urgently address the situation, the Nigerian students might start dying.

It also called on state governors whose citizens are trapped in Sudan to move fast and assist to evacuate them home just as it appealed to spirited individuals and private organisations to support the evacuation of the students.