The drivers evacuating Nigerians from Sudan stopped the journey in the middle of Sahara Desert over non-payment after the Federal Government of Nigeria claimed it paid $1.2 million to evacuate Nigerians from the warring country.
Watch the attached video clip below:
After sorting the students by state of origin for “easy” conveyance by Abike Dabiri, the Buses evacuating Nigerian students & non-student were stopped in the middle of the Sahara, & the drivers refused to continue the journey because they were not PAID
“Lessons will be learnt”😌 pic.twitter.com/X1yVR32l9n
— Damian (@BigChiefDamian) April 27, 2023
The development happened on Thursday following the announcement by the Chairman/CEO of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Hon. Dr. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, that the stranded Nigerians have been evacuated, during press briefing.
During the briefing, Abike said that Federal Government disbursed $1.2 million to rent buses that would evacuate trapped Nigerians from Sudan to Egypt.
That amount, at official rate, is about N500 million, however, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) sent only N150 million as indicated in the Remita Payment Advice below:
According to a source, either Mrs. Dabiri-Erewa or NEMA is yet to account for the remaining over N350 million which prompted the drivers to abandon Nigerians in the desert.
Later, Dabiri announced that the issue has been resolved and the students in Sudan have continued their journey.
Responding, the students, however, retorted that they were forced to deposit their passports to encourage the drivers to continue the journey.
See the attached screenshot of a chat on Twitter below confirming that the students deposit their passports before the drivers were encouraged to continue the journey:
Nigerians knock Abike Dabiri
Taking to his Twitter handle, @ruffydfire, the co-host of Arise Television, Mr. Oseni Rufai lambasted Madam Dabiri for the shabby logistics
He said in a series of tweets:
“Buses evacuating Nigerian students & non-student were stopped in the middle of the Sahara, & the drivers refused to continue the journey because they were not paid.
“Why will the drivers stop the journey despite 1.2Million dollars? Is there something we need to know?
“Since Madam Dabiri has confirmed the bus actually stopped, Question why was it stopped in the first place and why are the drivers complaining about money?
“The buses conveying students were stopped because of nonpayment as claimed by the driver but the Minister said 1.2million dollars was spent on logistics. That is why we keep shouting in Nigeria.”
Another tweep, Yanjumoney, @yanjumoney, lamented:
“Abike Dabiri is busy sounding as if the DG of NEMA did something extraordinary to mobilize the bus drivers. Little did we know that it’s the students that gave up their passports as COLLATERAL for the drivers to continue with the journey. This APC people shame us to no END.
Damian, @BigChiefDamian, noted:
“After sorting the students by state of origin for “easy” conveyance by Abike Dabiri, the Buses evacuating Nigerian students & non-student were stopped in the middle of the Sahara, & the drivers refused to continue the journey because they were not PAID. “Lessons will be learnt”!
Engr. Kingsley, @_realkingsley, added:
“Madam Abike Dabiri, the issues that made the buses to stop bothers on payment to the drivers, whereas more than enough money was realize for that purpose. Una no well for that APC at all.” Read more.