Thousands of Nigerians trapped in Ukraine amid Russian invasion will now be evacuated through the nation’s embassy in Poland, it has emerged.
According to Channels Television, Nigerian Embassy in Poland made this known in a notice shared on Saturday.
The notice reads;
In light of the recent happenings in Ukraine, please be advised that for all Nigerians crossing over to Poland would have us waiting for them. The Federal Government of Nigeria is making necessary arrangements for the evacuation of those stranded in Ukraine through the Embassy in Warsaw, Poland.
Please present this as your destination address with the Border controls 02-953, Kosiarzy 22B, 02-956 Warszawa
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It added;
The Nigerian Embassy staff and along with volunteers will be at the Polish-Ukrainian borders with buses and vans to pick up Nigerians from the crossing border points and locations below:
Hrebenne-Rawa Ruska
Szkoła Podstawowa w Lubyczy Królewskiej (zaplecze hali sportowej) ul. Jana III Sobieskiego 5, 22-680 Lubycza Królewska
Phone: +48-729275316Korczowa-Krakowiec
Świetlica, Korczowa 155, 37-552 Korczowa
Phone:+48-579201775Medyka-Szeginie
Hala Sportowa – Medyka 285, 37-732 Medyka
Phone:+48-729242516Budomierz-Hurszew
Szkoła Podstawowa w m. Krowica Sama 183, 37-625 Krowica Sama
Phone: +48-739493541
Read Also: Russia: FG To Evacuate Nigerians In Ukraine As Soon As Airports Reopen
The latest development comes few hours after Federal Government says it is impossible to evacuate Nigerian students in Ukraine until the airports in the country are reopened.
Since the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine broke out on Thursday, February 24, 2022, there have been calls on the FG to evacuate over 5000 Nigerians studying in Ukraine.
The war started shortly after Russian President, Vladimir Putin ordered a “special military operation” in the country.
Following the order, many Ukrainian major cities including Kyiv, the country’s capital were bombed and dozens of deaths have also been recorded.
However, while countries like India and South Africa have started evacuating their nationals to neighbouring Poland, many Nigerian students are still stranded in Ukraine.
On Thursday, the National Association of Nigerian Students in Ukraine cried out to President Muhammadu Buhari to come to their rescue.
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Speaking on the situation on Friday, February 25, 2022, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama said the FG is concerned with the safety of the 5600 Nigerian students in Ukraine.
He said;
The advice we were getting is that we should not panic. The embassy was in touch with the students telling them to take reasonable precautions.
The minister noted this following his separate meetings with the Ukrainian ambassador to Nigeria, Kirdoda Valerii, and his Russian counterpart, Alexei Shebarshin.
Onyema said he discussed the possibility of evacuating Nigerians from Ukraine but Shebarshin told him there might be risk involved.
The minister added that the Russian envoy told him that Russia was mindful of the civilians from foreign countries and would take all the necessary measures to ensure their security.
On his meeting with Valerii, Onyema said the Ukrainian envoy told him that the evacuation of Nigerians in the European country is not possible for now.
The envoy, however, added that the Ukrainian government had given safety tips and instructions to residents, adding that there was no discrimination between Ukrainians and foreigners in the safety measures.
He added;
Right now, we are in a very difficult situation, but we are fighting against the aggression and we believe that we will all win. Ukrainian Government does not differentiate between people on the basis of their nationality and that is the best effort to protect everybody.
Onyeama quoted the envoy as saying;
Currently, the evacuation of Nigerian students is not possible because it is not safe to fly in the sky of Ukraine. As soon as it is safe to fly on the sky of Ukraine, we will join the Embassy of Nigeria in Ukraine and jointly with the Nigerian Government, we will arrange for the evacuation of Nigerian students.
The Ukrainian envoy expressed gratitude to the FG and the people of Nigeria for their support.
