Parents of Nigerian students studying in Ukraine have protested at the Russian Embassy in Abuja, calling for peace in the Slavic countries.
“Peace,” the parents, who carried placards, echoed as they sued for a resolution between Ukraine and Russia.
“We want peace in Ukraine,” one of the protesting parents said. “We want our children to study well.”
The protest on Monday was sparked by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Since Vladimir Putin launched the attack on its neighbors, hundreds of people have fled the country.
Following the invasion, the Nigerian government announced plans to evacuate its citizens from Ukraine, though many criticized the move as being too late. According to a statement issued by the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday evening, 256 Nigerians have left Ukraine so far.
“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,” the ministry said.
Earlier, the presidency had condemned reports of officials barring Nigerians from leaving the country to neighbouring nations. It described the development as “unfortunate”.
“We understand the pain and fear that is confronting all people who find themselves in this terrifying place,” a presidential aide, Garba Shehu, said in a statement issued on Sunday.
“We also appreciate that those in official positions in security and border management will in most cases be experiencing impossible expectations in a situation they never expected. But, for that reason, it is paramount that everyone is treated with dignity and without favour.
“All who flee a conflict situation have the same right to safe passage under UN Convention and the colour of their passport or their skin should make no difference.”
But Poland’s ambassador to Nigeria Joanna Tarnawska dismissed claims of unfair treatment.
“Everybody receives equal treatment. I can assure you that I have reports that already some Nigerian nationals have crossed the border into Poland,” she told local media.
Nigerians could stay for 15 days. Even invalid documents were being accepted to cross the border and Covid-19 restrictions were lifted, she added.
Nigeria is not the only African country with evacuation plans in place for its citizens who have become stranded in the conflict. Clayson Monyela, the country’s foreign ministry spokesman, said on Twitter that a group of South Africans, mostly students, were stuck at the Ukrainian-Polish border.
According to Monyela, who said on Sunday that Africans were being “treated badly” at the Polish-Ukraine border, the South African ambassador to Warsaw was at the site attempting to get them through.
Ghana’s government announced on Tuesday that it would meet with parents of students stranded in Ukraine and would dispatch embassy personnel to border crossings to assist.
According to state media, Ivory Coast has 500 nationals in Ukraine and is making plans for their evacuation.
According to Kenya’s foreign affairs ministry, 201 citizens are in the country, the majority of whom are students. It stated last week that all Kenyans were safe and sound, but that some were stranded at the Polish border due to visa restrictions.
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