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Saudi Arabia assists Nigeria by evacuating Nigerians from Sudan

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has evacuated a total of 2,544 persons from Sudan, 10 of which are Nigerian nationals.

The evacuation follows the outbreak of a military conflict in the country and among the evacuees are 119 Saudis citizens, while 2,425 are from 74 countries.

Saudi Arabia Embassy in Nigeria made this known in a press released on Friday, 28th April, 2023.

According to the statement, the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has been working to provide all the necessary basic needs of foreign nationals who have been evacuated, in preparation for facilitating their departures to their countries.

It reads; “In continuation of the evacuation efforts being made by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia under the directives of the Kingdom’s Leaderships, more evacuees continue to arrive at Jeddah Port from the Republic of Sudan on Thursday, bringing the total number of evacuees from Sudan since the evacuations began at approximately 2544 persons, 119 are Saudi citizens while 2425 are from 74 countries among which 10 are from Nigeria.

“The evacuees are from the following nationalities: Nigeria, Netherlands, Russia, and Lebanon. Norway, USA, Turkey, Serbia, Poland, Germany, India, Georgia, Thailand, Bangladesh, Sweden, Uzbekistan, UK, Ireland, Kenya, Philippines, Ethiopia, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Paraguay, Pakistan, Oman, Syria, Libya, Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Palestine, Mauritania, Yemen, Canada, Switzerland, Ireland, France, Netherlands, Armenia, Hungary, Sweden, Turkey, Sierra Leone, Senegal, Tanzania, Djibouti, Cape Verde, Congo, Madagascar, Ivory Coast, Somalia, South Africa, Botswana, Malawi, Croatia, Nicaragua, Liberia, South Sudan, Kenya, Uganda, Afghanistan, India, Indonesia, Zimbabwe, Chad, Niger, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

“Furthermore, the Kingdom7 would continue to assist in organising and coordinating the evacuation operations around the clock, to ensure the safe exit of civilians from all nationalities.

“The Kingdom, together with friendly countries, encourages the establishment of armistices and opening of humanitarian corridors, as well as protection of the civilians. The Kingdom will continue to make every possible effort, to stop the bloodshed, to end the fighting, and return to the path of a political solution in Sudan”.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Government which approved $1.2m to evacuate Nigerians using buses, said the first batch of citizens will arrive in Abuja on Friday, April 28.

Chairman/CEO of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa told journalists in Abuja on Thursday that 1,500 Nigerians are being expected.

She said; “As I speak to you, we’re expecting about 1,500 Nigerians. And also, Air Peace will be leaving tonight (Thursday night) from Nigeria to pick them up from Egypt and bring them back safely to Nigeria by tomorrow (Friday)”.