Nigerian Government Sluggish In Evacuation Of Citizens From Ukraine Despite Early Warning Signs – Group

A civic group, the Nigerian Youth Union (NYU), on Monday described the response of the Nigerian government to the concerns about the safety of Nigerians caught in the Ukraine crisis, as sluggish.
The NYU slammed the Nigerian government, saying it ought to have adopted more proactive strategies to protect Nigerians abroad, especially during unforeseen emergencies such as the Ukrainian crisis.

It noted that Nigerians were subjected to various acts of social abuse, degradation and molestation at the Ukrainian borders due to the nonchalant attitude of the government.
This was made known in a statement released in Abuja on Monday, by the NYU National President, Chinonso Obasi, while expressing dismay that the Federal Government dithered in evacuating Nigerians from the troubled country despite early warning signals.
Obasi, who is a former National President of National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), said, “There was early intelligence that Russia would invade Ukraine in a question of days. Governments of other countries mobilised resources and reached out to their nationals in the country. But Nigeria developed indifference.
“We have seen this show of unconcern on many occasions. When the xenophobic attacks broke out in South Africa last year, the Federal Government did not deem it fit to rise for the protection of its citizens until a private citizen volunteered to evacuate them.
“We at the NYU condemn this penchant the Nigeria Federal Government for abandoning Nigerians abroad to their fate without regards to the protection and preservation of their interests in foreign countries. This attitude does not enhance patriotism nor uplift the image of the country in the comity of nations.” 
“It is possible that this lackadaisical attitude of government prompted the refusal of Nigerian citizens in Ukraine to elect to stay back in Ukraine or be taken other countries instead of being brought back to Nigeria.
“Nothing could be more damaging to the nation’s reputation in the international community than citizens thumbing their country and government for lack of empathy and duty of care,” he added.

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