12,440 Nigerians Stranded in Libya, Nigeria’s Ambassador Flees To Malta
The promise by President Goodluck Jonathan that he would continue to ensure that the life of every Nigerian, whether in the country or abroad matters to him may have become a promise unkept as thousands of Nigerians are still stranded in Libya where war is raging.
P.M.NEWS learnt that 7,125 Nigerians are still stranded in the country weeks after the President told Nigerians through Facebook, the social interaction site on the internet, that he would ensure the total evacuation of the country’s citizens from Libya.
It was learnt further that Nigeria’s Ambassador to Libya, Isah Mohammed Aliu, who was supposed to keep the hopes of the stranded Nigerians alive, has since fled to Malta with his family, leaving behind his security details.
A breakdown of the figure sent to P.M.NEWS by Destinymakers Community Christian Campaigns and Action Network (DCCCAN) shows that at the airport in Tripoli, the country’s capital, 1000 women, 170 babies, 5, 720 youths, and 235 men – a total of 7,125 – have remained unattended to.
This figure was released by Mr. Ben Igbokwe, and Mr. Solomon Okoduwa, leaders of Nigerians living in Tripoli.
Another figure released by Mr. Samson Aja, who is the leader of Nigerians in Benghazi, shows that Nigerians in the city include 306 children, 2, 502 women, and 2, 507 men, –– a total of 5, 315.
The organisation also revealed that six Nigerians died at the weekend while trying to flee from Benghazi to the Tripoli airport in order to join their colleagues following a five-day ultimatum given by Saif, one of Muammar Gaddafi’s children, that foreigners in Liby should leave. The ultimatum expires on Tuesday (tomorrow).
“We gathered from the only survivor, that on their way to Tripoli on a bus they came across Libyan soldiers who ordered the driver to return to where he was coming from, but the driver refused, only for the soldiers to open fire on the bus and six Nigerians were killed instantly while the whereabouts of one is unknown as the only survivor managed to join others at the Tripoli airport.
“Stranded Nigerians are calling on the Nigerian government to expedite evacuation. These Nigerians also complain of starvation,†the organisation said while quoting Mrs. Toyin Arimade, a native of Abeokuta resident in Tripoli, as saying that a bucket of water is sold at the airport for $4 and that for weeks, they, including pregnant and nursing women, have been sleeping on the floor of the airport.
Mr. Aja, who also explained the situation in Benghazi, said that they are stranded and frustrated and that some Nigerians had started moving towards the border between Egypt and Libya.
He noted that the only way they could leave the city now is for the government to come with a ship just like the way the Turkish government came and evacuated their people or that the government should initiate border evacuation through Egypt.
This, according to him is because the airport in Benghazi is not functional and the security situation on the road to Tripoli has worsened over the weeks.
The DCCCAN, while lamenting the attitude of the government towards Nigerians in diaspora, said it was a gross violation of section 19 (a) of the 1999 constitution.
“Most countries are massively evacuating their citizens, not only that, they also have representatives of their high commission, assuring those awaiting evacuation, of government’s intervention, which in a way, calms the nerves of their citizens.
“This, we believe, the office of the Nigeria ambassador should do, but the ambassador abandoned Nigerians, against foreign objective, and fled with his family. Not even the security men at the embassy were remembered by their boss.
“We want to challenge the Nigerian government and its agencies responsible for evacuating these stranded Nigerians, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Emergency Agency (NEMA) to come out and tell Nigerians why Nigeria cannot use ships and cargo planes in evacuating Nigerians in Libya up till now, despite huge budget these ministries get, and considering the number of lives at risk if something urgent is not done.
“We want to believe that both Odein Ajumogobia, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Mallam Mohammed Sani Sidi, DG NEMA, are efficient in discharging their responsibilities,†the organisation declared.
—Eromosele Ebhomele
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