KHARTOUM, Sudan – The ongoing power struggle in Sudan has escalated into intense clashes between the country’s military and the main paramilitary force, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), triggering a bloody civil war that has already claimed hundreds of lives and sent thousands fleeing for safety.
This conflict, sparked in mid-April, is a product of a long-standing rivalry between factions loyal to Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the country’s de facto ruler, and the RSF, led by former warlord Gen Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, also known as Hemedti.
The current unrest has its roots in the years preceding the 2019 uprising, which unseated the dictator Omar al-Bashir.
Bashir’s orchestrated power balance between formidable security forces began to crumble after his fall, and efforts to transition to a civilian-led government faltered. Diplomats in Khartoum warned as early as 2022 of an impending outbreak of violence.
Established by Bashir to quell a rebellion in Darfur, the RSF was previously known as the Janjaweed, associated with widespread atrocities. The group transformed into a semi-organised paramilitary force in 2013 and later played a crucial role in ousting Bashir in 2019.
However, the post-Bashir power-sharing agreement with civilians, aimed at transitioning to a democratic government, was disrupted by a coup in October 2021, setting the stage for the current conflict.
As the battles intensify, citizens from various countries stranded in Sudan are desperately attempting to escape. The Nigerian government’s evacuation efforts have been particularly criticised for their inadequacy and lack of transparency, leaving thousands of Nigerian citizens stranded and at risk.
According to testimonies from stranded Nigerians, the Nigerian embassy in Sudan purportedly paid for 40 buses to evacuate citizens, but only ten materialised. These evacuees allege that the embassy officials in Sudan have abandoned them and are failing to fulfil their responsibilities.
“We commend the efforts of Nigeria leader at home because we heard they have sent money to embassy officials here but to our surprise, they abandoned us here,” said a doctor on Friday, April 28, 2023, stranded in Sudan.
Amidst the chaos and uncertainty, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, chairman/CEO, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, NIDCOM, has called for the creation of humane conditions for the stranded nationals, particularly along the borders of Sudan, to facilitate their safe passage.
While parents and well-wishers have contributed funds to aid evacuation, the situation has sparked a heated debate in Nigeria over the state of the country’s education system and the reasons behind Nigerian students seeking education in countries like Sudan.
The escalating crisis in Sudan threatens the lives and safety of its citizens and foreigners residing there and risks destabilising the wider region, making it a crucial concern for the international community.
