Nigeria begins evacuation of citizens from war torn Central African Republic

Nigeria has carried out the first batch of evacuation of Nigerians from war torn Central African Republic.

Over 360 returnees arrived at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja on Saturday.

Officials of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the Nigerian Army and the Foreign Affairs Ministry are handling the evacuation process which will continue for the next six days.

“From here we will take them to the camp where they will be giving food and non-food items. State Emergency Management Agencies in the respective states have been contacted. They will be on ground tomorrow to start sorting them out and taking them. They will be convened to their respective state in dignity,” The Acting Director, Planning, Forecasting and Research, NEMA, Alhassan Nuhu explained.

According to a UN report, nearly one million people have been displaced from their homes in the clashes between Christian militias and the mainly Muslim Seleka rebel group that overthrew President Francois Bozize in March.

“At the Abuja airport, the anxiety is profound and the uncertainty huge in spite of the apparent relief.

“Airport officials continued sorting out the returnees, interrogating them for more details. It was difficult for the immigration officials to get information, as many of them do not speak English,” Channels Television’s Correspondent, Gloria Ume-Ezeoke, said.

One of the returnees said: “There is trouble there. They are killing people everywhere and we are tired. We were very afraid”.

Another returnee, Mr Ali Gani, an indigene of Borno State, said that he lost his wife in the crisis.

“I am in grief. When the crisis began, she was trying to run to her elder sister’s place but they killed her before she got there.

“We have been staying at the Nigerian embassy in CAR capital, Bangui. We suffered before we got there. When we got there, we were left hungry without food or water because the embassy officials had left the place,” he said.

About 1,635 Nigerians are still stranded in the country where aid efforts have been hampered in the capital, Bangui.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Martin Uhomoibhi, said that evacuation of Nigerians in the Central African Republic would continue, to give Nigerians lasting relief from the sectarian violence.


Credit: Channels News