Nigerians who escaped the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine arrived in Abuja, the nation’s capital, on Friday.
The evacuees narrated how they escaped the intense bombings and missiles fired by Russia’s military forces.
As of Friday night, no fewer than 775 Nigerians had been flown back to the country.
Some of the returnees who fled Ukraine to Romania told reporters how they were able to escape the invasion.
Anuoluwakintan Olawoye who is a 300-level medical student at the University of Ternopil, said apart from the racial discrimination, she starved, trekked and stood for long hours.
She noted that the reports of the invasion and bombs going off in different parts of the country were enough to plant fears in anybody, but that she was happy she was able to escape.
Rabia Zalka who was in Ukraine with her sister said she didn’t know if she would survive, but that to have made it back to Nigeria alive despite the invasion, rising tension, the bombing of cities and even the capture of the Nuclear plant by the Russians, meant a lot to them.
“I didn’t think it was really serious until my sister and I walked a long distance to the Romanian border. I trekked for hours. It was not easy. We were keeping an eye on each other and helping each other,” said Zalka.
Another returnee, Peter Ajuwon, said the Ukraine war should serve as a lesson to Nigerians on the importance of peace.
He said, “War is not a favourable situation. Every aspect of life gets affected. I encourage people to embrace peace in Nigeria. Our experiences crossing the border to Romania were not pleasant. Getting to Romania was hell, but we had a pleasant experience in Romania. We got a lot of support from the Romanian government and the Nigerian Ambassador there. Some Romanian NGOs showed us love too; they didn’t discriminate.”
