Russia-Ukraine war: Stranded Nigerian students cry for help

Students of Sumy State University in Ukraine have cried out against the ill-treatment being meted to them in the European country, demanding that the authorities should provide a safe exit route for them to leave the country.

In a viral video on Sunday, the helpless students were seen protesting against the refusal of the university to allow them leave the war zone, despite the growing apprehension over likely attacks on the institution.
Several of the students who spoke, said they now live in constant fear as they continue to hear the sound of bombs and near the institution, as the Russian forces continue to advance.

The students, mostly young boys and girls, chanted solidarity songs: “Let us go home, we want to go home”, during the protest that has now gone viral online.

They alleged that they had not taken their bath in days, begging the Nigerian government to liaise with the Ukrainian authorities to allow them a safeway to return to their home country.

For close to two weeks Russia and Ukraine have been engaged in an armed conflict, trapping many Nigerian students in the crisis-ridden zone.

“We have nothing to do with this war. Early this morning, we were woken up with several bombs. We have told them we want to go home. First, they have increased the price of taxi to N1 million for a two-hour journey which is like from Abuja to Kaduna.

“That is not all. We have told them we are ready to pay. Now , they have locked us in this hostel. What did we do wrong. We just came here to study medicine. We have not showered in three days. There’s no light in the hostel, everything is running out. This place is not safe.

“Some of us are experiencing mental trauma. We can’t even hear a door open without many of us running. This is not fair on us. We want to go home , we are in pains. Many of us, after this may not be able to live normally,” a female student was heard saying.

Another female student who spoke during the peaceful protest within the school premises, corroborated the story that the school was not allowing them leave the premises.

“ The school has refused to provide us with transportation to leave this place. We do not care about the amount. Now, we hear that they have blocked the route. We are not going to be used as baits,” she lamented.
Another one said she was in the kitchen trying to prepare food when a bomb exploded and shook the whole area, leaving her scampering for safety.

“We are calling on everybody to help us. We are stranded. We are appealing to everyone to help us,” she noted.
A male student who also spoke , urged the authorities to create a “humanitarian corridor” for them to exit the place and move to Nigeria.

“This is not our war. Any single extra second we spend here, is a danger to all of us,” they noted, adding that there are still over 1,000 students stranded in the area.”