President Muhamadu Buhari has registered his displeasure over the maltreatment meted on Nigerians and their other African counterpart at the border of Ukraine and Poland. A viral video going around the social depicted some Nigerians and other Africans being removed from the queue and denied entry into a Train that was scheduled to transport fleeing civilians’ from Ukraine to Poland.
In the same video, a black mother and her baby were directed to give up their seat to Ukrainian citizens.
Buhari in his reaction made through his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, said every human being despite their nationality, should be treated equally in face of a war situation.
While condemning the action in its totality, President Buhari said, Africans and Nigerians inclusive have the same right to be given passage under the United Nations convention to a safe corridor in war situations like this no matter their skin colour.
The statement partly reads, “While efforts to begin talks between Russia and Ukraine are underway, paramount on our minds is the safety and human rights of some four thousand Nigerian citizens and many others from friendly African nations today stranded in Ukraine
“There’s a long history dating back to decades of Nigerians and other Africans studying in Ukraine, particularly medicine. The majority of Nigerian citizens in the country today are university-enrolled students.
Buhari continues, “From video evidence, first-hand reports, & from those in contact with their wards Nigerian consular officials there have been unfortunate reports of Ukrainian police and security personnel refusing to allow Nigerians to board buses & trains heading towards Ukraine-Poland border.
He laments that “In one video widely circulating on social media, a Nigerian mother, with her young baby, was filmed being physically forced to give up her seat to another person.
Buhari disclosed that there was also another report of Polish forces deliberately denying Nigerians from fleeing the war zone for no obvious reason.
The action of the polish forces pushed some of the Nigerian students to seek refuge in an alternative border of Hungary navigating through the war zone which is dangerous to their lives.
Buhari demanded that everyone in such a situation deserve to be treated with dignity and without favour.
The statement added, “All who flee a conflict situation have the same right to the safe passage under UN Convention and the colour of their passport or their skin should make no difference.”
Buhari prayed for those affected by the crises and expressed his support to every diplomatic move that may facilitate the end of the Russian-Ukraine war.
