Foreign Minister Geoffrey Onyeama said the federal government will spend $1.2 million to buy 40 luxury buses that will be used to evacuate Nigerians stranded in Sudan.
Onyeama revealed this when speaking to state reporters after a meeting of the Federal Executive Council.
Onyeama said the FG would evacuate its citizens within days despite Sudan’s 72-hour truce.
The minister said the high cost of evacuation was to provide security cover for the Nigerian journey to the Egyptian border.
“The $1.2 million is what we pay for 40 buses. We have huge luxury buses available to transport to the Egyptian border,” Onyeama said.
“Of course you know, because of the risks involved and so many other things, a lot of people are going to also take advantage, you’re going to hike up the price. We saw that the French convoy was attacked and so forth. It was difficult procuring these buses. But we had to do it because you know, Nigerians’ lives matter to us.”
The ongoing crisis between the Sudanese military and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group, has claimed the lives of more than 400 people and injured thousands since it began on April 1. April 15.
Some Nigerians are among the international nationals stranded due to the civil unrest.
The buses will take the Nigerians to the Egyptian border, where they are expected to be taken to Nigeria.
