By Tola Owoyele
A group of Nigerian students protested at the Ukraine-Poland border in the early hours of Sunday, after being held at gunpoint by law enforcement agents.
In a video made available online, the students were seen raising their hands in surrender while trying to explain that they were students.
“We are students. We don’t have arms. We are not criminals. We are all dying of cold. We have been here for three days. This is unfair. Why point guns at us? What have we done wrong? We are students. We are Students. We are students,” they chanted.
As the chanting continued, one of the officers pointed his gun in their direction as if he was going to pull the trigger. They were eventually allowed through the border when they would not stop protesting.
Thousands of people, both Ukrainians and foreign nationals, have fled Ukraine to neighbouring countries, especially Poland and Romania, since Russia began its invasion of the country last week.
According to UN reports, the invasion has recorded at least 240 civilian casualties.
Earlier on Saturday, the Federal Government of Nigeria said it was making “necessary arrangements” for Nigerians to leave Ukraine as the crisis continued.
The government also said Nigerians able to cross to Poland would meet the staff of the Nigerian Embassy waiting for them.
