The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) announced on behalf of the Federal Government that all Nigerian students fleeing the war-torn region of Sudan have been successfully evacuated. The announcement was made on Saturday, marking the completion of a crucial operation.

Since the commencement of the evacuation exercise on May 3, a total of 2,518 Nigerians have been airlifted to safety and returned to Nigerian soil. The latest evacuation, which occurred on Saturday, constituted the 15th batch, with an additional 125 Nigerians arriving at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.

The 125 evacuees arrived on a Tarco B737-300 aircraft from Port Sudan, touching down at 12:49 pm. With this latest arrival, the total number of evacuated Nigerians from Sudan has reached 2,371.

Upon their arrival, the returnees underwent necessary processing conducted by immigration officials in collaboration with representatives from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants, and Internally Displaced Persons.

The evacuation operation, which began on May 3, saw the first batch of Nigerian students arriving at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja. The Air Peace flight, carrying over 270 Nigerian students from the Aswan Airport in Egypt, was the first to land, followed closely by an NAF C-130H jet conveying about 80 individuals.

Subsequently, the second batch arrived in Abuja two days later, arriving around 3 pm on a Tarco Airline aircraft. This particular batch consisted of 130 passengers, including 128 females and two males.

While the evacuation of Nigerian students from Sudan has been successfully concluded, it remains uncertain whether the process will continue for other non-students who may still be stranded in Sudan.

The evacuations were carried out by multiple entities, including the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), Tarco Air, Max Air, Azman Air, and Air Peace. These organizations worked tirelessly to bring the evacuated Nigerians back home, with Tarco Air being responsible for 11 out of the 15 flights conducted.

NIDCOM emphasized that throughout the evacuation process, not a single Nigerian life was lost, highlighting the success and efficiency of the operation.

The safe return of the Nigerian students from Sudan serves as a testament to the Nigerian government’s commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of its citizens, particularly those facing dire circumstances in conflict-stricken regions.