NANS Diaspora presidents, Dr. Evidence Akhayere calls for immediate assistance, and evacuation of Nigeria students in Diaspora

The recent global events have resulted in more knowledge and understanding of human behavior. As a leader of a large community of Nigerians in the diaspora, it is disheartening to see how poorly the system has responded to the sufferings and cries of the people. 

We recently heard that the government approved 23billion dollars for projects, and another 5.5billion dollars to support state for COVID-19 damages, also, 37billion Naira was approved for the renovations of the national assembly. 

First it interesting to know that these monies are flying around, and renovations of buildings are taking place whereas Nigerian students are stranded all around the globe, some of these students are sick, have no food to eat, and have requested immediate evacuation. 

The federal government initially approved the evacuation and support of Nigerian students studying abroad but this has recently been put to a halt, for reasons we do not know. diaspora bodies have written severally to the federal government, through the embassies and other officials but some ambassadors are at the moment not even available in their embassies. 

The request for assistance and evacuation is now greeted with deaf ears as nothing is being done, even though monies have been approved for said purposes. Interestingly the majority of these students have no form of scholarship or assistance from the federal government, they are either funded by their families who currently have no means to support them anymore, or they are funded by themselves. 

While some people are busy making use of these trying times to enrich themselves with monies that are allocated for support purposes, these students are living and surviving at the mercies of the various countries where they study. What is more, unclear to us now is the plans of the federal government for diaspora students. 

We, therefore, call on the federal government and the responsible parties to effect immediate solutions to the current challenges being faced by students outside Nigeria, we also request that ambassadors who are not currently in the countries of their missions, should be removed with immediate effect. 

Lastly, we wish to state that we will not hesitate to call out persons who are responsible for the hardship that these young students are facing all over the world. 

Comr Dr. Evidence Akhayere

President NANS Diaspora