Air Peace and the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) have successfully evacuated stranded Nigerians from war-torn Sudan after initial hitches at the Egyptian border.

The evacuation was carried out after President Muhammadu Buhari’s intervention in resolving the challenges encountered. Speaking on arrival at the Abuja airport, one of the evacuees, Zainab, revealed the hardship they experienced in Sudan and Egypt while waiting to be evacuated.

She said their situation was terrible, and they were not treated as humans at the Aswan border in Egypt. According to her, they had to leave where they were staying in Sudan for safety after hearing gunshots and rockets when the war started.

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She explained that life in Egypt was expensive and challenging, as some of them did not have money. Pregnant women and sick children were also among those stranded. Akinola Barakat, another student who was evacuated, said the journey from Sudan to the Aswan border took them about a week, and they had issues at the border.

The evacuation was successful after the Nigerian Government and the Nigeria Mission in Sudan liaised with the Egyptian authorities to grant passage to Nigerians stranded in Egypt.

The Nigerian Mission in Sudan had earlier made a request to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the evacuation of the stranded Nigerians in Sudan. The evacuation followed a growing concern for the welfare of Nigerians stranded in Sudan due to the outbreak of war in the country.

The situation has led to the displacement of thousands of Sudanese nationals, including foreigners living in the country. The government’s intervention in evacuating the stranded Nigerians has been commended by many, especially the students who were among the evacuees.