Nigerian students in Ukraine write Buhari, beg for evacuation amid Russian attacks

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) Ukraine chapter, has written a letter to President Muhammadu Buhari requesting for the immediate evacuation of Nigerian students currently trapped in the country.

This is coming on the heels of the Russian invasion of Ukraine which has left over 50 people dead.

In the early hours of Thursday, February 24, 2022, Russian president Vladimir Putin announced a special military operation in Ukraine. Few minutes later, explosives started going off in Kharkiv, the second-largest city in Ukraine located in the country's northeast.

The Russian military operation has also spread to other Ukrainian cities as explosives were heard near the capital city of Kyiv.

Reacting to the development, the Nigerian Embassy in Ukraine issued a fresh travel advisory urging Nigerian nationals resident in the country to remain calm, but also be very vigilant and be conscious of their personal security.

However, in the letter to Buhari titled, “MATTER OF URGENCY: LETTER OF REQUEST TO THE PRESIDENT OF FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI” on Thursday, the students hinted that the Russian-Ukraine conflict has further escalated.

Signed by a NANS Ukraine Executive, Eunice Eleka, the letter also stated that the Russian-Ukraine conflict has affected territories occupied by Nigerian citizens.

The letter read: “Greetings to you His Excellency. We are the executive body of National Association of Nigerian Students Ukraine (NANS-UKRAINE).

“We write to you with regards to the current Russia- Ukraine conflict which has finally risen to its maximum early this morning being 24th February, 2022 as gunshots and explosives have raided the territories occupied by the Nigerian citizens.

“We plead with you His Excellency – President MUHAMMADU BUHARI to please send for an immediate evacuation of the Nigerian students currently in Ukraine. We can only trust and wait on our great nation (Giant of Africa) in this perilous time..

“It would be of great honour, if our request is deliberately considered and met with urgency as it calls for. Forever this kind and fatherly gesture would be engraved in our hearts. Thank you so much in anticipation Mr President.”

Earlier in the day, the House of Representatives had resolved to collaborate with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Air Peace to ensure safety evacuation of Nigerian citizens, especially the students, from the troubled Ukraine.