Sudan: FG clarifies reason bus evacuation of Nigerians cost $1.2m

The Nigerian Government gives clarification on why it cost the sum of $1.2 million for the buses that were used to evacuate Nigerians from Sudan.

The government stated that the amount was negotiated under the “condition of war.” This information was provided in a joint statement released on Saturday by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development.

The statement was signed by Amb. Janet Olisa, the Director overseeing the Office of the Permanent Secretary, MFA, and Dr. Nasir Sani-Gwarzo, the Permanent Secretary, FMHADMSD.

“The general public is also advised to discountenance unverified information being circulated on social media as some of them are either due to ignorance or sheer mischief. The outcry over the negotiated sum of $1.2 million for the buses hired for the exercise, is uncalled for.

“The amount in question was negotiated in a condition of war and where there are competing demands for the same bus services by other countries also trying to evacuate their citizens. Therefore, cooperation and understanding of all and sundry are required to complement ongoing efforts aimed at ensuring the safe return of every Nigerian trapped in Sudan,” the statement clarified.

An undisclosed transport company was paid N150 million by the Central Bank of Nigeria through the National Emergency Management Agency on Tuesday at 12:37 pm, The Punch reported.

This money was released by the government to hire 40 buses to transport stranded Nigerian citizens from Sudan to Cairo, Egypt, due to the current crisis in the country.