The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Geoffrey Onyeama says all Nigerians, including students in war-prone Ukraine will be safely evacuated back home.
Onyeama disclosed this in Birnin Kebbi when he paid a courtesy call on Governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu.
The minister said that the ministry and the various state governments were working round the clock to ensure that all the citizens of the country were safely brought back home by the federal government.
” I am here to assure you of the safety and security of Nigerians, including students. It is a global challenge, the Russia-Ukraine war is a worrying situation.
” President Muhammadu Buhari has approved a significant amount of money for the evacuation from the terrible situation they find themselves.
” The ministry and our Ambassador in Ukraine and other neighbouring countries are working relentlessly to ensure the successful execution of the evacuation exercise,” Onyema, added.
The minister stated that the visit was to reaffirm total solidarity with the government and people of Kebbi State and give the cheering news to get the Nigerian students in Ukraine back to safety.
Onyema further said that the visit was also to essentially share the myriad of messages from governments around the world sympathising with the government and people of Kebbi state on the recent tragedies that have befallen the state.
These, the minister said include the most recent killings of vigilantes, saying that, the activities of terrorists and bandits were obnoxious.
According to Onyema, the international community was in full solidarity with the people and Government of Kebbi state.
He said,” that was why the President approved the visit to come and share the well wishes of the international community.
” We should continue to stand firm in this direction and victory will soon be ours, and there will be no retreat.”
The minister expressed deepest condolences to the families of the deceased and prayed for the repose of the departed souls.
Onyema acknowledged the giant strides recorded by the administration of Governor Bagudu in the state, saying that he was impressed with what he saw during his first visit to the state.
Governor Atiku Bagudu, who was represented by the Secretary to the Government, Babale Umar Yauri extolled the performances of the minister in the last few years.
Bagudu stated that the state was pleased with the energies and control the minister has exerted on Nigeria’s foreign policies.
He expressed delight that the federal government was facilitating a robust relationship between the state and its neighbors, Niger and Benin Republics.
Bagudu said that hitherto, banditry was casual in the state, but, with the ongoing military operations, bandits were making headway into the state.
He lamented the recent killing of vigilantes and military officers, adding, ” the state government is doing its best to ensure that they do not infiltrate into the hinterlands.”
Bagudu stated that the state was routinely assisting all the law enforcement agencies to bolster their operations.
The governor disclosed that three students of the state studying in Ukraine were among the evacuees from the war-torn Ukraine.
