By Ndubuisi Orji & Aidoghie Paulinus
The Federal Government would commence evacuation of Nigerian from war-torn Ukraine tomorrow , Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama said at a meeting with Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, in Abuja, yesterday.
He said over 2,000 persons were ready to be evacuated noting that the exercise earlier scheduled to begin yesterday was rescheduled to enable the ministry and the Nigerian missions in Ukraine, Poland and Russia complete formalities of moving Nigerians from the troubled country to safe borders with neighbouring countries.
“Where we are now is the point of ascertaining the exact number we are dealing with and to agree on the location for the evaluation. We are thinking Bucharest; but all of this is being sorted out and we are constantly working to ensure that everything goes on very smoothly”.
The minister added that the delay was not because government was not ready or did not know what to do.
“I was in touch with our ambassador early enough and he assured us that there was no need for evacuation. The students even said there was no problem at all. Also, the Ukrainian government did not want people to leave, and especially because most of our people are students, who will not be able to go back to Ukraine again, should they leave”, Onyeama stated.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Embassies in Romania, Hungary and Poland have received over 256 stranded Nigerians from Ukraine, while awaiting the arrival of 200 more in the coming days.
Ambassador Gabriel Aduda, permanent secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, disclosed this in a statement, yesterday.
“In the last 24 hours, officials of the Nigerian Embassy received 130 Nigerians safely at Bucharest, Romania, where they had been provided accommodation and would be documented, while we finalise arrangements to bring them back home. Also, officials at Budapest, Hungary, had received and accommodated 74 Nigerians safely, where they are being documented for subsequent travel arrangements back to Nigeria. We are expecting another batch of about 200 in the city of Budapest, tomorrow, Monday.
In Warsaw, Poland, 52 Nigerians and 23 others were being processed at the Polish government’s reception point at Hala Kijowska.
“Milny 90, 37-552 Milny, which is near the border of Korczowa-Krakowiec, is a camp that is well organised with beds and beddings, food, heating, clothing and medicals for evacuees.
“We assure Nigerians that all hands are on deck and arrangements are being put in place to effectively evacuate our citizens, in safety and dignity,” he stated.
The Federal Government had made arrangements with the authorities of the countries to grant access-free visa to stranded Nigerians.
The Nigerian government had also advised its nationals to cooperate with immigration officials at the border posts.
In a related development, the Nigerian Embassy in Kiev, Ukraine, has begun issuance of Emergency Travelling Certificates to Nigerians fleeing Ukraine.
The certificates sighted by Daily Sun were dated February 28, and valid for three months from the date of issuance. However, Daily Sun could not confirm numbers of certificates issued so far by the mission at the time of filing this report.
One of the certificates showed that Mr. Azubuike Favour Ikechukwu, with lost Nigerian Passport A11691624, received an Emergency Travelling Certificate from the Nigerian Embassy in Kiev, Ukraine. The mission further confirmed in the certificate that Azubuike, born December 15, 1997, in Ezumuoha, Imo State, is a citizen of Nigeria.
“This is to certify that Mr Azubuike Favour Ikechukwu, is a citizen of Nigeria born on the 15th of December, 1997, with lost Nigerian Passport Number A11691624. The certificate is only for his journey to Nigeria,” the Nigerian Mission wrote.
The certificate signed by a consular officer at the mission, Mustapha Yusuf Hassan, showed that Azubuike would be leaving Ukraine to Nigeria and must be surrendered to the Immigration officer at the place of arrival in Nigeria.
Another Emergency Travelling Certificate sighted by Daily Sun had the name of Mr Uwadi George Emeka, with Passport Number A10979898. He was born October 16, 1994. The Nigerian Embassy, Kiev, Ukraine also confirmed that Uwadi is a citizen of Nigeria travelling from Ukraine to Nigeria. He must also be surrendered to the Nigeria Immigration Service at the place of arrival, according to the Nigerian Embassy in Kiev.
Also sighted by Daily Sun was a certificate issued to Oyemade Kolade Tolulope, born in Lagos on October 11, 1991.
Oyemade’s certificate, with Passport Number A50027422, was also signed by Hassan and confirmed by the Nigerian Embassy in Kiev as a citizen of Nigeria.
Earlier, the Nigerian Mission in Ukraine, in a public travel advisory dated February 28, said the Emergency Travelling Certificates were for Nigerians who have lost their passports and intended to exit Ukraine through any of the neighbouring borders which included Romania, Poland, Hungary and Slovakia.
“The Embassy of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Kiev, Ukraine, wishes to inform Nigerian nationals who have lost their Passports and intend to exit Ukraine through any of the neighbouring borders which include Romania, Poland Hungary and Slovakia should immediately contact the Embassy through this number +380632353417 with their particulars for the processing of an Emergency Travelling Certificate (ETC) to facilitate their exit,” the Nigerian Mission in Ukraine said.
