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Sudan Crisis: Nigerian Evacuees Stranded In Desert Over Payment Issue
Nigerians stranded in Sudan due to the ongoing crisis in the country faced further difficulties as they were left stranded on their way to Cairo, due to a payment issue between the Nigerian government and the drivers of the buses hired for the evacuation.
The Nigerian government had promised to evacuate about 5,500 Nigerians, including stranded students, from Khartoum and other cities in Sudan, and had released N150m to hire 40 buses to transport its citizens to Cairo.
However, the evacuation took a turn for the worse when the drivers of the buses decided to stop in the desert, as they had not been paid for their services by the Federal Government. This left the Nigerian evacuees stranded in the middle of the desert without water or money.
In a video shared on Thursday, a woman could be heard shouting about their plight, as they were stuck in an unknown and dangerous environment for hours.
She said “Before we started this journey, we fought and now that we have the privilege of moving, the drivers dropped us in the middle of this desert. We have been stuck here for five hours. We do not have money nor water. We are in an unknown environment and it is very dangerous. The vehicle driver said they are not moving their bus because they did not give them money.”
However, the Chairperson of Nigerians in the Diaspora Commission, Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa, stated in an interview that some funds were released for the evacuation, but none had come to the commission. She further explained that the commission had done a lot of work, but did not handle funding.
She also confirmed that thirteen buses had departed, and Air Peace was set to leave to bring the stranded Nigerians back to the country tomorrow.
In her words she said “we don’t know anything about funding. some funds were released but not a Kobo came to Diaspora commission and we did a whole lot of work. I can’t talk about funding because we don’t get funding, we just do our job.
“13 buses have departed, they should be arriving in some hours. Air peace should be leaving today to be able to bring them back tomorrow” She added.
Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa, further confirmed that the issue has been resolved in a tweet she shared on her Twitter handle.
She said “I have just spoken to @nemanigeria dg. He confirmed the buses have continued their Journey and said whatever issues have been resolved.
The Governor of Benue State, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, has assured corps members deployed to the state of their safety, despite rising security concerns across the region.
Speaking on Friday through the Commissioner for Youth, Sports Development and Creativity, Hon. Terkimbi Ikyange, Governor Alia said his administration is working closely with security agencies to ensure the safety and well-being of all National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members throughout their service year.
“Sadly, our nation is currently bedevilled with security challenges, and Benue State is not exempt,” the governor stated.
“However, let me quickly allay your fears and assure you that, as a government, we are committed to ensuring that your safety is guaranteed throughout your stay in the state.”
He noted that comprehensive protective measures have been implemented across corps lodges and other areas occupied by corps members in the state.
Governor Alia also encouraged the new corps members to take full advantage of the NYSC’s Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme, describing it as a “gateway to great opportunities.”
He further urged them to use their God-given talents to contribute meaningfully to the nation’s development.
In her remarks, the State Coordinator of the NYSC, Mrs. Veronica Garba, thanked the governor and the people of Benue for their continued support of the scheme.
She charged the new inductees to actively participate in the four cardinal components of the orientation course: physical training, motivational lectures, sporting activities, and SAED.
The orientation exercise welcomed a total of 1,600 corps members, officially inducted into the programme by Justice Peter Ukande, who represented the Chief Judge of Benue State, Justice Maurice Ikpambeae.
The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare has approved the appointment of a new Acting Director of Administration for the David Umahi Federal University Teaching Hospital (DUFUTH), Uburu.
This was contained in a statement in Uburu on Thursday by the DUFUTH’s Public Relations Officer, Agwu N. O.
According to Agwu, the new appointee is Edith Anih, an indigene of Enugu State with relevant working experience, having worked at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Enugu, where she was Deputy Director of Administration.
It was gathered that the approval was conveyed in a letter dated April 23, 2025, addressed to the Chief Medical Director.
Prior to her appointment, Anih held the position of Deputy Director of Administration at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Enugu.
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He wrote, “Mrs. Anih Edith Ndidi is a seasoned administrator born on May 22, 1973. She is married and hails from Enugu State, specifically Enugu South Local Government Area.
“She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Public Administration and a Master’s degree in Human Resources Management. She is also an associate member of the Institute of Health Service Administrators of Nigeria (IHSAN).
“The Management of DUFUTH extends a warm welcome to the new DA and looks forward to collaborating with her as she brings a fresh perspective to the hospital’s administrative leadership.”
The Federal Government of Nigeria is set to launch a forensic audit of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), in a major move aimed at enhancing transparency and accountability in the oil and gas sector.
This was disclosed by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, at the ongoing Nigerian Investor Forum, held on the sidelines of the IMF/World Bank Spring Meetings in Washington DC.
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Edun explained that the upcoming audit, along with recent changes in NNPCL management, is part of a broader effort to reform the state-owned oil company and rebuild trust in Nigeria’s economic institutions.
Addressing top global investors, including representatives from financial giant J.P. Morgan, Edun outlined a series of bold economic reforms introduced by the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
He said the measures are already yielding positive results and have laid a strong foundation for future growth.
“Our goal is not just to maintain this momentum, but to accelerate it,” Edun said. “We are targeting seven per cent annual growth, and we believe the policies we have implemented have laid the groundwork to achieve this.”
According to Edun, Nigeria’s economy grew by 3.84% in the fourth quarter of 2024, with an overall annual growth rate of 3.4%.
He described the government’s economic strategy as “unprecedented,” adding that key indicators such as the budget deficit, trade balance, and exchange rate have all shown signs of improvement.
“We said we would do it, and now we have done it. This time, we’re staying the course,” he emphasized.
The minister also highlighted the government’s focus on agriculture as a critical driver of economic growth, saying efforts are underway to close the food supply gap by empowering local producers.
“We aim to close the food supply gap, not by importing more, but by enabling domestic producers to scale and innovate,” he said.
In the area of infrastructure, Edun announced that 90,000km of fibre optic cable has been rolled out to boost internet connectivity, especially for young Nigerians and the tech ecosystem.
Additionally, 4,000km of roads have been earmarked for private sector participation, with the first 1,000km already approved for construction.
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