Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Goeffrey Onyeama has given assurances that stranded Nigerians in troubled Ukraine would be safely evacuated as government intensifies efforts for that purpose.
It had been days of tension since Russia invaded the country.
The minister during a meeting with Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, on Monday over the unexpected development, disclosed that arrangrment has been made by his Ministry with the managrment of an indegenous airline, Air Peace to evacuate Nigerians who have crossed the Ukrainian-Polish border on Wednesday March 2, 2002.
The Speaker had invited Onyeama, with a view to assessing government’s preparedness and response mechanism being put in place regarding the crisis in Ukraine, especially as it affects Nigerians in the country.
According to the minister, there have been high level of engagement of the Nigerian government with the Nigerian Ambassador to Ukraine on the matter, with evocation expected to commence on Wednesday, adding that there are 5,600 Nigerian students and about 8,000 other Nigerian citizens living in the troubled nation.
While explaining some of the Nigerians have successfully crossed boarders to Ukraine’s neighbouring countries, the minister said he has gotten approval of the President to evacuate the stranded citizens, even as he stressed that some of them are however, not willing to leave the country.
Gbajabiamila noted that the House was deeply worried over the crisis, and its escalation, urging speedy evacuation of stranded Nigerians, adding that many Nigerians did not beleive that Russia will invade Ukraine until the crisis erupted.
According to hm, the House is ready to approve any suplementary budget the executive may send to the parliament if need be, to cater for such emergencies, as he called for a closer working relationship between the Ministry’s officials and the House to ensure the safety of Nigerians living abroad.