Some Nigerians resident in Ukraine have appealed to the Federal government to urgently evacuate them as Russia continues to bombard key regions and critical facilities of Ukraine.
Since Russia announced military offensive against Ukraine on Thursday, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said over 137 people have been killed so far, including civilians.
The UN’s refugee agency have also said that about 100,000 Ukrainians have been displaced, with thousands fleeing to nearby European states.
Western powers including NATO have announced sweeping sanctions on Russia.
Nigerians seek help
Nigerians in Ukraine are desperately pleading to be evacuated out of the Eastern European country as Russian bombs continue to drop on military installations and residential buildings.
Russian bombs have been dropping mostly on the two most important Ukrainian cities of Kyiv and Kharkiv where many Nigerians live.
Obinna Ezugwu, a Nigerian based in Ukraine told a Nigerian news platform, TheNiche that though his city of resident has not been razed, he and many other Nigeria live in fear and sleep in the basement to avoid Russian bombs.
He fears that although the bombs haven’t started raining in Sumy City, the temporary respite may be short-lived as Russian troops appeared to have doubled down on their unprovoked offensive against Ukraine.
He said, for now, they survive with the cash in their hands and worry that once the money runs out and supplies stop coming, their plight might become acute.
He said: “We are all prepared to leave to Poland if the border is still open but the problem is that no car is leaving due to the state of emergency imposed.”
Anjola Ero-Phillips, president of the Nigerian Students Union in Lviv, told Al Jazeera that as situation is getting worse, the Nigeria government have shown no serious concerns for the safety. Ero-Phillips lamented that there have been no proper community from the Nigerian embassy in Ukraine.
