The Nigerian Foreign Ministry has begged Nigerian students in East Ukraine to leave the area due to fierce violence and riots in the region.
Ambassador Abdulaziz Dankano, under the Secretary responsible for the economy and consular in the ministry, giving advice in an interview with the newspaper on Sunday in Abuja.
Dankano said that the suggestion became necessary after a deteriorating security situation in a torn area of war.
He said that no less than 146 Nigerian students were still in East Ukrainian cities in Donetsk and Lungansk even though it was a repeat advisor from the Nigerian mission in Kiev.
According to him, more than 1000 Nigerian students are in various tertiary institutions in the region and many who heed the recurring advisors issued by the Nigerian mission in Kiev.
But we still have 146 students who refuse to empty the area and the situation in this region does not get better because of the fierce battle between the separatists and the Ukrainian military, he said.
The crisis erupted in East Ukraine after rebels declared independence from a new government in Kiev. Russia, which was revealed in the Ukrainian region of Crimea in March has been accused of arming rebels and has been targeted by the US and the European Union for sanctions.
Last month, Head of the UN Human Rights, Pillay Navi, said that no less than 1,129 people had been killed and 3,442 were injured in the violent conflict in East Ukraine since mid-April. Dankano also confirmed that nine Nigerian students were kidnapped in East Ukraine on July 17 all had regained freedom
He identified students as Femi Oredugba, Wasi Rasaki, Oyinola Sheriff, Ahmed Salis and Mabadeje Semi. The other is Chigozie Amaobi, Daniel Eitoxpah, Callistus Ezike and Agihibenma Wayne.
He said that students regained freedom on July 24, added that the Nigerian mission in Kiev played a key role in securing their release.
We make informal contacts with rebels through members of the Nigerian community who are familiar with the region.
Because the Kiev government did not control the region, our diplomats were not physically present in the region because of security issues, he explained.
Dankano did not confirm or deny whether the ransom was paid to the rebels before the students were released.
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