Nigeria condemns treatment of African citizens amid Ukraine crisis

Africa, Europe, News March 1, 2022 , by IRIA No Comments

Several African citizens, including Nigerian citizens, have been denied entry into Poland as they flee to seek refuge from the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, according to the reports from the Ukrainian borders.

The Nigerian government has condemned the discriminatory treatment of thousands of citizens who were stranded in Ukraine amid the ongoing crisis. According to Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, more than 4000 Nigerian citizens are in Ukraine. Among these people is a large number of students.

Several videos and reports have been emerging on social media that showed acts of discrimination and violence specifically towards African, Asian and Caribbean citizens while they make attempts to flee the conflict zone, many of these refuge seekers are international students from these regions.

According to the UNHCR, more than half a million people have left Ukraine since the Russian invasion started last week. Poland has become one of the most common routes among those who are fleeing towards the west. Refugees are taking trains and other means of transportation from Lviv, a western city in Ukraine, to reach the Polish border.

*^{Ukrainian servicemen sit atop armored personnel carriers driving on a road in the Donetsk region, eastern Ukraine, on February 24, 2022. Image Credit: Vadim Ghirda/AP)}*

The Nigerian president took Twitter on Monday to record his reservations on the reported discriminatory treatment that is being carried out, particularly at Poland’s border.

Muhammadu Buhari said: “All who flee a conflict situation have the same right to safe passage under UN convention and the colour of their passport or their skin should make no difference”.

He further cited the reports of Ukrainian police obstructing Nigerian citizens from fleeing the country by stating, “From video evidence, first-hand reports, and from those in contact with Nigerian consular officials, there have been unfortunate reports of Ukrainian police and security personnel refusing to allow Nigerians to board buses and trains heading towards Ukraine-Poland border”.

Several international students and foreign citizens in Ukraine have taken social media to record their experiences and difficulties that they are facing in order to reach the western borders.

^{Refugees from many various international locations – from Africa, the Middle East, and India are seen on the Medyka pedestrian border crossing, fleeing the battle in Ukraine, en route to Poland on February 27, 2022. (Image Credit: TheWall)}

Nigerian Foreign Minister Geoffrey Jideofor Onyeama said that he has been in touch with the Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba on this matter. The Ukrainian Foreign Minister has assured him that Ukrainian border guards are given an order to allow all foreigners leaving Ukraine to pass without restrictions.

Nigeria’s ministry of foreign affairs has now advised its citizens leaving Ukraine to head for Hungary or Romania, rather than trying to enter Poland.