FG To Begin Evacuation Of Stranded Nigerian Students In Sumy Today As Ukraine Gives Approval (Videos)

By Edna Wande On Mar 7, 2022

Federal Government of Nigeria says the evacuation of Nigerian students trapped in Sumy, in North-East Ukraine, close to Russian border will commence today following approval by Ukrainian government.

This is as Russia on Monday announced the opening of humanitarian corridors to allow the evacuation of civilians from several Ukrainian cities experiencing heavy fighting, including the capital Kyiv and Sumy.

In a series of tweets on Sunday, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, said the Ukrainian government had given approval for the students’ evacuation.

He stated;

Deep gratitude to Dmytro Kuleba, Foreign Minister of Ukraine for approval given, as promised, to establish humanitarian corridor and authorize evacuation of Nigerian students from Sumy starting tomorrow.

1/2 Deep gratitude to @DmytroKuleba, Foreign Minister of Ukraine for approval given, as promised, to establish humanitarian corridor and authorize evacuation of Nigerian students from Sumy starting tomorrow.

— Geoffrey Onyeama (@GeoffreyOnyeama) March 6, 2022

Onyeama stated;

The big challenge is procuring buses. We are doing everything to make it happen. Great commitment by Nigerian Ambassador to Ukraine, Shina Alege.

2/2 The big challenge is procuring buses. We are doing everything to make it happen. Great commitment by Nigerian Ambassador to Ukraine, Shina Alege.
@NigeriaGov @MFA_Ukraine

— Geoffrey Onyeama (@GeoffreyOnyeama) March 6, 2022

Federal government has evacuated more than 1,000 Nigerians who made it out of Ukraine to neigbouring countries such as Poland and Romania.

However, the students in Sumy are yet to find a way out of war-torn Ukraine.

The students in videos shared online said they have dwindling access to food, water and electricity.

They also expressed that they wake up most mornings to the sound of explosions and spend hours in bomb shelters beneath their hostels.

“We are in Sumy and we are stuck in Sumy,” one of the students said during a protest held under snowy conditions.

They added;

This is Day 10, people don’t have water, people don’t have light in hostels. It’s getting cold in the hostels. There is no food. We are running out of supplies. We are calling on the Nigerian government, on the foreign affairs ministry. We want to go home.

Watch some videos of the protesting students below;

“We’ve not showered in days; we need to get out of here fast!,” Nigerians stuck in Sumy, Ukraine, stage a protest

1/8 pic.twitter.com/tUx2HRlJPf

— Instablog9ja (@instablog9ja) March 5, 2022

I want to believe that International Students are not used as bargaining instruments in Sumy (Ukraine). We still have Nigerians, Indians and Africans not allowed to leave Sumy as at 5th March, 2022. My niece still in Sumy. pic.twitter.com/gQMgnqPYX4

— Remilekun Arogundade (@RemiArogundade) March 5, 2022

#Nigerians the situation in Sumy, Ukraine is beyond desperate #BlackForeignersinUkraine are stranded. Please help with funds and calls for a ceasefire so that they can be evacuated safely🧵 pic.twitter.com/ajrP4ft0GY

— Kemi Babagbemi MD (@KemiMDRad) March 2, 2022

These are Foreign students including Nigerians protesting in Sumy, Ukraine.We beg the various Governments and humanitarian organisations to pls evacuate these Students pic.twitter.com/jafOif9d9y

— Doyinsola Ojikutu (@yemisikuye) March 5, 2022