The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre, CISLAC, Saturday, accused the Federal Government of ‘fake’ evacuation of Nigerian students trapped by the war in Sudan.
This was contained in a statement signed by the Executive Director, CISLAC, Auwal Rafsanjani, while expressing displeasure of the plight of the students that are desperate to get to their families.
According to Rafsanjani, some students pay money to the bus drivers conveying them out of Sudan and alleged that the federal government has remained unperturbed as it has failed to explain about the true situation of things.
He pointed out that the treatment allegedly given to the students by the government is against the provisions of the 1999 Constitution, which states that it is the responsibility of the Federal Government to ensure the rights of citizens are protected internally and externally.
He said: “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.
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. The temperature is so high that people are thirsty. Nowhere to find water to drink or buy food to eat.
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.
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.”
However, he called on the government to take advantage of the opportunity given by the Sudanese government to urgently evacuate the students and also warned that if nothing is urgently done Nigerian students will be killed as the war rages.
Therefore, the CISLAC boss appealed to State governors whose citizens are caught in the crossfire to urgently help in their evacuation and not wait for the federal government alone and added that well-spirited Nigerians and corporate organisations should support the evacuation of the students.
