A Nigerian medical student at the International University of Africa in Sudan, Mutiu Abdulmalik, who is also one of the returnees from the war-torn country, has narrated the ordeal he and other students faced and how they trekked for hours amongst others.
Abdulmalik, in an interview with Blueprint, said when the war started, it was terrifying as “our house is not too far from the university and we just started hearing gunshots.
“We trekked for hours and slept outside for days just to get safe. Where do you want see money to buy food or water? It was water. Dead people everywhere.
“Sudan for now is a death trap. We didn’t think we would survive it because we slept in the car. All of our lives were in the car.
“Life there was totally hard and they treated us like we are not human beings at the Aswan border in Egypt where we spent six days.
“We called other students and they were not taking the calls, some had died. We had to leave where we were for safety.”
Another returnee, a medical student of Sudan University, Khartoum, Swaleehu Abubakar, also said they saw heavy movement in Sudan one morning around 10am or thereabout.
He further said: “Before we knew it, loud shout was coming from all areas and gunmen were everywhere, then we started hearing gunshots and after like four to five days, we started experiencing airstrikes and missiles.
“I and my sisters were really terrified. Our parents were in Nigeria and we were left alone to survive war. To be honest, the experience there was too much for any mind.
“At some point, we thought staying indoors would save us but as the sound or gunshot and other things began to come closer to us, we had to leave that place.
“I just pray that Nigeria will do all it takes never to experience war because it is not a good thing. Academic activities of students will stop completely, people will die. We had no food for days and water too.”
In her own account, another student, Hajara Aminu, said in the first four days, they were stranded and heard nothing from the Nigerian government, vowing never to return to Sudan.
“I have been hearing of war but in the past weeks I have seen hell. The situation in Sudan is not child’s play and I wonder why it was left to grow that bad.
“The killings, shooting and evil going on in that country is beyond what any mind can take. We were stranded for days and we did not hear from our government for some time and that got us worried because we saw efforts that other countries were making but I am really glad that I am alive even though I thought I was experiencing my last days in Sudan,” she said.
800 returnees arrive
Meanwhile, the fourth and final batch of the stranded Nigerians in Sudan arrived Sunday at the Nnadi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja.
The returnees, numbering 836, arrived via Max Air, Azman and Tarco Airlines
While 410 were on board Max Air, Azman airlifted 324, and Tarco evacuating 102.
The evacuees arrived at the Pilgrims Terminal of the airport at exactly 10:45 a.m.
Permanent Secretary Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Dr Sani Gwarzo, said 732 persons would arrive today from the Egypt borders.
He said no Nigerian is left at Egypt border, as all of them at that point had been evacuated.
