The National Association of Nigerian Students in Ukraine has sent out a Save Our Soul message to President Muhammadu Buhari, seeking immediate evacuation of Nigerian Students from Ukraine amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.
The Acting-President of the Association, Eunice Eleaka, pleaded with the Federal Government to come to their aid as several Nigerians, mostly students are currently stranded in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.
In a letter to the President titled, ‘Matter of Urgency. Letter of Request to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria President Muhammadu Buhari’ on Thursday, the students said cities occupied by Nigerians were under attack.
The letter read in part, “Greetings your Excellency. We are the executive body of National Association of Nigerian Students Ukraine (NANS-UKRAINE).
“We write to you with regards to the current Russia-Ukraine conflict which has finally risen to its maximum early this morning being February 24, 2022 as gunshots and explosives have raided the territories occupied by the Nigerian citizens.
“We plead with your Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, to please send for an immediate evacuation of the Nigerian students currently in Ukraine. We can only trust and wait on our great nation (Giant of Africa) in this perilous time.
“It would be of great honour, if our request is deliberately considered and met with urgency as it calls for. Forever this kind and fatherly gesture would be engraved in our hearts. Thank you so much in anticipation Mr President.”
Eleaka, who has found her way out of Ukraine, told newsmen that many other Nigerians were stuck because of the cost of the flight tickets.
She called on Nigeria to come up with a proper evacuation strategy like India.
Eleaka said, “I left before the invasion. The news on possible invasion has been out there for a while now. My parents got really worried and got me a flight ticket to return home.
“I’m sure most students really wanted to leave too, but the flight tickets got really expensive and the need to leave then seemed impromptu. I heard some cities still had their classes offline but we were ensuring every school goes online.
“But all the same, I feel the most cogent reason for everyone is the flight ticket price.”
Specifically, she said the Indian embassy has set up two different camps to evacuate Nigerians who are stranded in Ukraine.
Eunice said, “The Embassy of India in Poland has set up a camp office in Krakowiec on the Polish-Ukraine border. This office will facilitate transit via Poland back to India of Indian nationals stranded in Ukraine. They gave out telephone numbers of the officials in charge.”
Earlier, on Thursday, the Federal Government expressed shock over the invasion of Ukraine by Russia.
The government also assured Nigerians living in Ukraine of their safety, stating that measures are underway to evacuate Nigerians living in the country.
