“We strongly hope that our call for rescue to our dear nation Nigeria will be responded to with immediate effect,” the students appealed.
The National Association of Nigerian Students in Sudan (NANSS) has appealed to the federal government for the evacuation of its members.
“We hereby write soliciting and yearning for the Nigerian Government’s intercession to rescue and send for an immediate evacuation of the Nigerian students that are stuck in the centre of the ongoing war,” the group said in a letter seen by PREMIUM TIMES. The letter was not addressed to any particular government official.
This newspaper reported how fighting erupted in Khartoum on Saturday between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) over control of the troubled country.
The students said they have, since the fighting in Sudan erupted on Saturday, been stranded in fear with no access to basic needs equipment and have been facing dangerous threats.
“We strongly hope that our call for rescue to our dear nation Nigeria will be responded to with immediate effect,” the students appealed.
Sudan is home to a relatively large population of Nigerians, especially students. PREMIUM TIMES could not confirm the exact number of Nigerian students in Sudan at the time of this report. However, many state governments in Northern Nigeria sponsor hundreds of students for university education in Sudan.
Germany had also planned to evacuate its nationals from Sudan but did not follow through because of the security situation in the country, according to the German news agency, DPA.
Japan has also said it has begun the “necessary preparations” for evacuations of its citizens including embassy staff from Sudan, government spokesman Hirokazu Matsuno said.
The fighting which has entered its fifth day has led to the death of over 270 people, the WHO said.
With 39 of the 59 hospitals and clinics in Khartoum left incapable of serving patients according to the Sudanese Medical Committee, the death toll is expected to be far higher with many wounded unable to reach hospitals.
Aljazeera reported the group as saying in a statement that some hospitals had been bombed, others attacked and looted. The committee called for “urgent intervention” to protect medical staff and patients.
Despite several agreements to a ceasefire, parties have continued to fight and vandalise public facilities including residences as seen in footage shown by Aljazeera.
The Arab League joined world leaders to urge the fighting groups to silence their guns.
“I urge the Sudanese parties in the name of Islam, Arab values, and humanity to announce a ceasefire during the Eid holiday in order to enable civilians to respond to urgent humanitarian cases,” Aljazeera quoted Ahmed Aboul Gheit, the league’s secretary general, as saying in a video message.