The Coalition of South East Youth Leaders, COSEYL, has accused the Chairman of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, NIDCOM, Abike Dabiri-Erewa of allegedly discriminating against Igbos stranded in war-torn Sudan.
The coalition alleged that Dabiri-Erewa had ordered some Igbos to alight from the rescue bus provided to evacuate Nigerians from Sudan while people of other tribes were conveyed in the vehicles.
A report had emerged online alleging that the NIDCOM boss refused to allow the Igbos access to the rescue bus provided by the Federal Government to evacuate Nigerian students from the country.
A viral video clip had shown some Igbo students still stranded in Sudan claiming they were asked to come down from the bus and wait for another one but are afraid that two days after no bus has been sent to them.
Reacting, COSEYL in a statement issued on Tuesday by its President General, Goodluck Ibem described the action as “barbaric and wickedness of the highest order”.
“We call on the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Geoffrey Onyema to immediately do the needful to ensure that those stranded Igbos left to their fate in Sudan are rescued immediately out of danger.
“We demand that those Nigerians who were chased out of the rescue bus should be the first people to board the flight before others and Abike should look for another means of coming back.
“We warn that this madness and show of shame should not repeat itself again. Enough said!”, the statement added.
Recall that about 500 people have been killed in the war in Sudan and many countries have completed the evacuation of their citizens.
