A young Nigerian student in Sudan is featured in a devastating viral video. The video shows that she and her coworkers are in a dire predicament that demands the federal government’s immediate involvement to save them.
The Sudanese Army, commanded by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), led by Hemedti, are fighting for domination. The RSF has previously collaborated with the Sudanese Army to establish military authority. However, negotiations over integrating RSF paramilitary officers into the Sudanese Army to restore civilian rule broke down. The centre collapsed when the RSF sent members around the country and in Khartoum, defying the Sundanese Army. After all, two divided rulers will cause anarchy.
In the early 2000s, General Dagalo headed the Janjaweed soldiers in Sudan’s Darfur conflict. He was accused of human rights breaches and crimes against humanity, including the 2019 slaughter of 120 demonstrators. Burhan, his Darfur equivalent, also gained fame in the 2000s. The two men were allies in the 2019 military coup that overthrew President Omar al-Bashir. According to the World Health Organization, at least 459 people have died, and more than 4,000 have been wounded. The grass suffers when two elephants battle. This conflict’s casualties are real lives lost or pushed into terror, confusion, and uncertainty.
Sudan was the Arab League’s largest country until 2011 when South Sudan declared independence. The predominantly Christian and Animist South fought against the Arab Muslim North. Despite its oil wealth, South Sudan must still catch up to its neighbour. Since 2011, the nation has faced ethnic conflict and a humanitarian disaster. South Sudan has 3.5 billion barrels of crude oil, third in Sub-Saharan Africa behind Nigeria and Angola. South Sudan’s Ministry of Petroleum says 90% of its oil and gas reserves are undeveloped. Imagine a generous leader leading a unified Sudan with its vast mineral wealth.
Sudan’s persistent violence, particularly in the gold mines, is linked to its vast natural riches, but lately, it has gotten out of hand. Sudan produced 107 tonnes of gold in 2017, ranking third in Africa behind Ghana and South Africa.
Sudan had the most coups in Africa. Since independence from Britain in 1956, coups have occurred in 1958, 1969, 1985, 1989, 2019, and 2021. The 1989 coup installed Omar Bashir, its longest military dictator, and he governed for nearly three decades until a violent bread protest spearheaded by Sudanese women forced him out.
After Bashir gave in to the protesters, Sudanese streets erupted in jubilation, unaware that Uhuru had not yet arrived. Two years after his ouster, the military intervened to prevent a civil war shortly before the elections. No juju?
As the two powerful generals fight on, several countries are evacuating their citizens from Sudan. Thus, the Nigerian government is under pressure to prevent a disaster. Sudan has an estimated five million Nigerians; some live there and have never been to Nigeria, while others only attend school. Young Nigerians go to the country to get a variety of degrees because it has one of the best educational systems in Africa.
Thus, it is commendable that the Nigerian government heard the loud cries of its citizens trapped in the war-torn country and is almost finished with evacuation plans. Nigeria has saved her children before. Last year’s Russia-Ukraine war trapped Nigerians, but the current administration worked hard to get them home.
Nigerians may learn a lot from the Ukraine and Sudan crises. First, our country is all we have. When our ships are down elsewhere, we can only run home for safety. “Japa” differs from having a secure Nigeria to return to. Our nation’s territorial integrity and internal security must always remain our top priorities.
If only to calm their hearts and delay, Nigerian warmongers should ponder the wanton devastation of life and property in Sudan and Ukraine. War only creates future problems. The Sudanese General Command of the Armed Forces Headquarters was bustling, and it’s now ruined. Khartoum is empty, and everyone is terrified and seeking tranquilly.
We should never go to war, regardless of provocation. If Nigeria wants to wage war today, it should be against poverty, illiteracy, corruption, insecurity, and other longstanding ills.