Peter Obi, candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 presidential election, has expressed displeasure over the Nigerian government’s delay to evacuate Nigerians trapped in the war-torn Sudan.
While other countries including the US and the UK have been evacuating their nationals from Sudan as the war in the African country escalates, the Nigerian government earlier said it was risky to evacuate about 4,000 Nigerians trapped in the country.
On Saturday, the country’s National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said the government had constituted a committee to work towards the evacuation of Nigerians in Sudan, most of whom are students.
Responding to the development on Sunday afternoon, the former Anambra State governor in a statement on his Twitter handle said that he is sad that President Muhammadu Buhari-led Nigerian government has not evacuated Nigerians trapped in the country.
He said it will be sad to lose any Nigerian to the conflict considering that the Sudanese crisis is not a natural disaster that happened suddenly.
Obi said: “I’m sad and concerned by the reports that Nigerians trapped in Sudan have not been evacuated. While we understand the extreme challenges in Sudan, we deeply implore the Federal Government of Nigeria to expedite all efforts to rescue about 4,000 Nigerians that are mostly students in Sudan to safety.
“Moreover, as the Sudanese crisis in not a natural disaster that happened suddenly, it will be sad to lose any Nigerian to the conflict, especially now that we need all hands to create and sustain a New Nigeria.
“Since it is the statutory responsibility of FGN to protect Nigerians at home in Nigeria and abroad, it is important that we attend to such issues with more deserving proactiveness and commitment as the life of every Nigerian is sacred and important.
“A New Nigeria is really imperative and Possible.”