By Ismaila Chafe/Lizzy Okoji

Abuja, Feb. 27, 2022

The Presidency has frowned at the reported inhuman and discriminatory treatments of Nigerians and other citizens of African countries, who are being denied the same rights of passage out of Ukraine.

This is as the Federal Government says governments of Hungary and Romania have approved visa free access to all Nigerians coming from Ukraine and that arrangements for accommodation and feeding before evacuation is arranged.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs disclosed this in a statement signed by its Permanent Secretary, Mr.  Gabriel Aduda on Sunday in Abuja.

The ministry stated that the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Geoffrey Onyeama had been engaging with his Ukrainian counterpart to alleviate the sufferings of stranded Nigerians.

“The ministry of foreign affairs is fully abreast of all the challenges Nigerians crossing into countries bordering Ukraine, especially the Polish border, are facing and we are taking adequate measures to assuage these challenges.

“The minister of foreign affairs has spoken with his counterpart, the Foreign Minister of Ukraine on these unsavoury development.

“And both are working on alleviating the suffering of Nigerians including deploying the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) to the border to ensure easier access to all Nigerians and other nationals.

“For now, movement to the Hungarian Zahony border and Romanian Suceava, Tulcea, Satu Mare County & Maramures borders is advised.

“As they have approved visa free access to all Nigerians coming from Ukraine and arrangements for accommodation and feeding before evacuation is arranged.

“Parents, guardians and wards of Nigerians in Ukraine are please enjoined to remain calm as the Federal Government of Nigeria is working very hard to get them all home safely,” the ministry stated.

Malam Garba Shehu, the President’s spokesman in a statement on Sunday in Abuja, said all citizens should be treated with dignity irrespective of the colour of their passports or their skin.

He said: “From video evidence, first-hand reports, and from those in contact with their wards and/or Nigerian consular officials there have been unfortunate reports of Ukrainian police and security personnel refusing to allow Nigerians to board buses and trains heading towards the Ukraine-Poland border.

“In one video widely circulating on social media, a Nigerian mother with her young baby was filmed being physically forced to give up her seat to another person.

“There are also separate reports of Polish officials simply refusing Nigerian citizens entry into Poland from Ukraine.

“One group of Nigerian students having been repeatedly refused entry into Poland have concluded they have no choice but to travel again across Ukraine and attempt to exit the country via the border with Hungary.”

According to the presidential aide, it is paramount that everyone is treated with dignity and without favour, adding that all who flee a conflict situation have the same right to safe passage under UN Convention.

“While efforts to begin talks between Russia and Ukraine are underway, paramount on our minds is the safety and human rights of some four thousand Nigerian citizens and many others from friendly African nations today stranded in Ukraine.”

He stated that Nigeria would continue to support all and every diplomatic effort to bring the war between Russia and Ukraine to an end.

According to him, there is a long history dating back to decades of Nigerians and other Africans studying in Ukraine, particularly medicine, noting that the majority of Nigerian citizens in the country today are university-enrolled students.

“As a nation, we are proud of those educated in Kyiv and Kharkiv and other cities and centres of learning who have returned to Nigeria to perform great service for our nation and our people.

“Without the generosity of spirit of the Ukrainian people that would never have been possible.

“We pray for those directly affected by this conflict.

“Nigeria, with our 200 million people, support all and every diplomatic effort to bring this war to an end,” Shehu said.