According to the Federal Government, the Egyptian border was opened after President Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) spoke with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi.
The head of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, announced this on Monday via her Twitter profile.
Egypt imposed tough conditions on Nigeria earlier today for stranded Nigerians to cross its border.
The first groups of 637 Nigerian students evacuated from Sudan have been trapped at Egypt’s border with the war-torn country.
Geoffrey Onyeama, Foreign Affairs Minister, stated on Sunday night that Egyptian authorities insisted on screening all 637 Nigerians before they could be given entry into their country.
He explained that if Egypt delays any longer, the Federal Government may relocate the students to Port Sudan for evacuation.
Meanwhile, according to a message sent by Nigerian Ambassador to Egypt, Nura Rimi, approval will be granted for the evacuation of Nigerians through Egypt, subject to strict conditions and guidelines, including details and schedule of the aircraft; capacity of the aircraft; and a strong pledge that once our citizens depart the border, they will be conveyed directly to the designated airport.
Other requirements include a complete list of evacuees, with passport numbers; valid travel documents (passport, ETC); the presence of Nigerian government officials at the points of embarkation; and standby buses that will transport them to the airport immediately.
Dabiri-Erewa provided an update on the stranded Nigerians at the border, saying, with President Buhari’s intervention, Egypt has finally opened its border to Nigerians fleeing Sudan. The processing of the first batch of evacuees will begin with an Air Force jet already on the ground in Aswan, Egypt.
