Nigerian Students in Sudan Call Out Their Government For Neglect

In the wake of Sudan’s ongoing war, Nigerian students in the region are calling out the Nigerian government for failing to protect them. The ongoing conflict—fueled by grievances of various factions in the country—has erupted in a death toll that has surpassed 200, with many more people injured and displaced. Sudan has been under de facto military rule since a coup in October 2021 ousted the transitional government established after Omar al-Bashir's rule two years earlier.

The North African country has been under the de facto control of General Abdel-Fattah Burhan, the coup's leader since the political shift. The transition has marked a setback in Sudan's democratic transition and led to widespread unrest and protests nationwide. The military's control has often drawn criticism about human rights violations from the international community, and this war marks another point of concern.

In a conversation with Voice of America, monitored by Vanguard News' Umar Faruk, a Nigerian student currently stranded in Sudan raised concerns over the lack of communication from the Nigerian Embassy. In the interview, the student claimed that while other nationals from countries like Niger Republic, Cameroon, and Kenya have been receiving regular updates on the situation in Sudan from their respective embassies, the student stated that Nigerian citizens have been left in the dark.

According to the student, although there are some safe areas in Sudan for students to seek refuge, there is still a lot at stake. Vanguard News' correspondent also stated that the possibility of the over 2000 Nigerian students fleeing the country either through the airport or moving by the border was near-impossible.

"The airport is already closed for operation,” the student said. “And if we are to move to the border with Egypt, how can such a large number of Nigerian students embark on such a long trip?”

Despite the recent announcement of a 24-hour ceasefire by Sudan's military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), hostilities have persisted beyond the agreed-upon deadline. This is a developing story.