House Summons Foreign Affairs Minster, NDCOM, NEMA over Stranded Nigerians in Sudan

By Linda Ike

The House of Representatives has summoned the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, Officials from the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, (NIDCOM) and the National Emergency Management Agency, (NEMA,) to appear before the House over the planned evacuation of stranded Nigerians in Sudan.

Speaker of the house, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila who stated this on Tuesday on resumption of plenary from two weeks holiday said the invitation emanated from the war in Sudan.

He expressed concern over the inter agency disagreement arising from overlapping mandates and absence of established operational guidelines.

Gbajabiamila said; “Over the last few weeks, the Republic of Sudan has descended into war. Unfortunately, this rapid descent into the carnage of violent conflict has entrapped many Nigerians resident in that country. Efforts are underway to ensure that our citizens resident in the Republic of Sudan, as students, business people and in other vocations, are evacuated quickly and safely.”

Gbajabiamila noted that the conflict in the Republic of Sudan reminds the House of the fragility of nations, requesting that the Chairman, house committee on Foreign Affairs should invite the foreign Affairs minister and the agencies involved in the evacuation for more explanation.

“In pursuing our political objectives, we must never lose sight of the fundamental truth that in war, everybody loses; in peace, everybody can win.

“All our personal, partisan and sectional interests must always succumb to the overarching and overriding interest of ensuring the unity and stability of Nigeria. If we fail in this regard, nothing else will matter, and none of us will be absolved in the judgment of history,” he stated.