Ukraine’s invasion: Buhari should give Foreign Affairs minister deadline on evacuation of Nigerian students ― Kachikwu

Media entrepreneur and Presidential aspirant for 2023, Dumebi Kachikwu, at the weekend called on the Federal Government to give priority to the evacuation of Nigerian citizens now trapped in Ukraine as a result of the invasion of the country by Russia.

Kachikwu, in a statement by his Media Office in Abuja, said the Federal Government must redouble its ongoing efforts and act fast to ensure that Nigerian citizens in Ukraine do not suffer avoidable harm and casualties.

Investigation revealed that countries such as India, South Africa, among others had announced the facilitation of the evacuation of their nationals from Ukraine to neighbouring Poland by setting up offices at the Ukrainian-Polish borders.
According to the Nigerian Foreign Affairs Ministry, there are no fewer than 5,600 Nigerians in Ukraine, the majority of who are students.

Kachikwu insisted that Nigeria cannot afford to allow its citizens, especially students, to be part of the collateral damage now engulfing Ukraine as the United Nations failed to stop Russia’s ongoing aggression against Ukraine.

He said: “There are over N5,600 Nigerian students in Ukraine, especially in the medical sciences.

“I call on President Buhari to give the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama and the Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Hon Abike Dabiri-Erewa, a deadline to fully evacuate all Nigerians in Ukraine, especially students.

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He insisted the Minister and NIDCOM boss must not dilly-dally in a face of danger to citizens but must work with the Governments of Ukraine and neighbouring countries to provide safe passage for Nigerian students, and other Nigerians resident in the country, so they can return home safely and be reunited with their families.”

Kachikwu who is the Chairman of Roots Television Nigeria, however, condemned what he called “international hooliganism and gangsterism” on the part of Russia.

He insisted that the invasion of Ukraine by Russia was unnecessary, especially in a time of the global pandemic.

“Is history about to repeat itself as World War 1 was a catalyst in the spread of the Spanish Flu that took millions of lives around the world?

“This is an outrage. This is an unprovoked and unnecessary war in a time of the global pandemic.

“President Vladimir Putin has always fancied himself as a war General, seeking to make a name for himself as the Czar who redeemed Russia’s image on the world stage.

“Who next after Ukraine? I call on all nations to rise up against this evil.

“I call on both sides in the conflict to exercise restraint and consider the human toll of war at a time like this especially when the world is grappling with a pandemic.

“I call on Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Union (AU) to immediately condemn this unprovoked invasion of Ukraine by Russia.

“When good men keep quiet in the face of evil, it thrives. China waits in the wings watching the reaction of the world as she prepares to attack Taiwan. Enough of international hooliganism and gangsterism,” Kachikwu said.

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Ukraine’s invasion: Buhari should give Foreign Affairs minister deadline on evacuation of Nigerian students ― Kachikwu

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Ukraine’s invasion: Buhari should give Foreign Affairs minister deadline on evacuation of Nigerian students ― Kachikwu