Sudan: We Can’t Place 2,518 Returnee Students In Schools – NEMA

The director-general of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mustapha Ahmed, has said a total of 2,518 students have been evacuated from the war-torn Sudan as the federal government concludes evacuation on Saturday.

Asked on the fate of the students in getting placement in Nigerian tertiary schools, the NEMA boss said it was beyond the jurisdiction of the agency.

The director-general stated this yesterday in Abuja while briefing journalists on the evacuation process which began on April 15 when the crisis broke out in Sudan.

Giving a breakdown of the evacuees, the NEMA boss said, “A total of 23 sick evacuees were received. Out of these, 10 were treated on arrival by officials of NEMA, Port Health and other medical personnel within the airport, while 13 were referred to the 108 Nigerian Airforce Hospital Abuja.

“Among these is an eight-day old baby who was delivered while the mother was awaiting airlift from Port Sudan. The baby is currently being treated for jaundice at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada. While a patient with hand injury is being treated at Federal Medical Centre, Jabi, Abuja. We thank God Almighty that no life of any Nigerian was lost during the crisis so far and during the evacuation.”

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He also said the evacuation process has come to an end after the federal government has successfully evacuated all those willing to come home.

According to him, “The 15th flight yesterday marked the conclusion of evacuation of the stranded students that indicated intention and were profiled for airlift back home. At this juncture, I want to specially thank President Muhammadu Buhari for approving the evacuation operation. Let me also thank the minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya UMar Farouq and the minister of Foreign Affairs, Godfrey Onyeama and the ministries for their support towards the success of the operations.”

However, when LEADERSHIP inquired on the fate of the Nigerian students who were brought home and their school programme, the NEMA DG said there was no plan for that as that is not within their mandate.

He clarified that there are the Ministry of Education and other government parastatals, who would be saddled with that responsibility and that the job of NEMA stops at bringing them home safely and successfully.

On the 160 women and children claiming to be Nigerians but left behind in Sudan, the NEMA boss said the problem was that they don’t have any passport to prove that they are from Nigeria but the government is processing their claims and if there is proof that they are Nigerians, they will be evacuated.