Reps order evacuation of Nigerian students from war-torn Ukraine
The lower chamber of Nigeria’s National Assembly on Thursday passed a resolution for the evacuation of Nigerian students and other citizens of the country who are caught in the web of the Russia-Ukraine war.
The Reps members during plenary also vowed to take up the responsibility of making sure Nigerians in Ukraine were immediately evacuated from the country and shoulder the responsibility of making sure the citizens are brought back home safely.
Following the adoption of the move by a member representing Kaduna, Ahmed Munir, the lower chamber of the National Assembly charged the house to begin discussion with the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs in order to facilitate the immediate evacuation of Nigerians studying in Ukraine.
The House members were unanimous in their recognition of lives of Nigerians staying in Ukraine, adding that the situation in Ukraine at the moment called for a proactive action from the Federal Government.
Rep Munir said, “We have a significant number of undergraduate and graduate students currently studying in Ukraine of which a portion are under government scholarships.
“This is in addition to a number of Nigerian diplomats and their families in the Kiev embassy and Nigerian expatriates across Ukraine.
“If a strategic plan is not put in place to secure and provide safe passage for our citizens, they may be harmed”.
Responding, Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila, noted that the House would commence talks with Air Peace in order to ensure that Nigerians in Ukraine wee rescued home.
Gbajabiamila directed the House Leader, Alhasaan Doguwa and Chairman, House Committee on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Buba Yakubu, to get ready for an urgent trip to Ukraine, adding that they should ascertain the number of Nigerians affected in the row and ways to get them safely back home.
Periscope International reports that as of 2020, Nigeria had 4,227 students studying in Ukrainian universities out of a total of 76,548 foreign students in the country.
