By Gom Mirian
Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) has reacted to a report published on various media platforms alleging that some stranded citizens of the southeast extraction were left behind during the evacuation from the war-torn Khartoum in Sudan.
Reacting to the report, the Head of Media, Public Relations, and Protocols Unit, Mr. Abdur-Rahman Balogun, Tuesday, said a report at his disposal stated that all who converged at the prescribed locations, were to be picked up and have all been moved in 40 buses either towards Port Sudan or towards Egyptian borders.
Some arrived after the stipulated time or did not show up at the point of pickup, they can’t blame it on anyone, Balogun said in a statement.
Further according to the statement: “The said group never bothered to cross-check the sponsored false story on Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa or get her own side of the story before spreading the falsehood all over the media space,
His words: “The allegation by the faceless group, a Coalition of South East Youth Leaders, (COSEYL), signed by one Hon. Goodluck Ibem against the indefatigable Abike Dabiri -Erewa who was busy coordinating the two-day conference of Global African Diaspora Symposium (GADS), with 64 countries in attendance in Abuja, is most wicked, divisive and a ridiculous fabrication.
“Reports from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs staff on the ground in Khartoum indicated that when the boarding of buses began, the situation was so chaotic that some people (including Non-Nigerians) jumped in violently, some with daggers, through the windows.
“To bring sanity and to abide by the instruction of the Minister of Foreign Affairs that priority should be given to women, children, and students, the officials started calling them according to states in alphabetical order, beginning with Abia State.
“NIDCOM is focused, working with other relevant agencies, on the safe return of stranded Nigerians and will not be distracted by nonsensical, illogical, irresponsible, rascal and unfounded comments meant to distract from the success, safe and secure return of Nigerians from Khartoum, Sudan”.
