Federal government says the 40 buses evacuating Nigerians from the civil unrest in Sudan cost about $1.2 million.

Geoffrey Onyeama, minister of foreign affairs, who disclosed this on Wednesday, said the high cost of the evacuation was to provide security cover for the Nigerians’ journey to the Egyptian borders.

“$1.2 million is what we’re being charged for all the 40 buses. We have huge transporter luxury buses made available to us to transport to the Egyptian border,” Onyeama said.

“Of course you know, because of the risks involved and so many other things, a lot of people are going to also take advantage, you’re going to hike up the price. We saw that the French convoy was attacked and so forth. It was difficult procuring these buses. But we had to do it because you know, Nigerians’ lives matter to us.”

The ongoing conflict between Sudan’s army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group, has killed over 400 people and injured thousands since it began on April 15.

Several Nigerians were among international citizens stranded by the civil unrest.

Nigerian in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) shared pictures of buses arriving in Sudan ready to whisk stranded Nigerian students to safety.

The buses will take the Nigerians to the Egyptian border where they are expected to be airlifted to Nigeria.

The Cable