The failure of two Nigerian students to tender their passports or emergency travel certificate has infuriated Egyptian authorities, who have sent more than 500 Nigerian students back to Sudan.
According to The Punch, a Nigerian official who spoke in a voice note revealed that students without passports or emergency travel certificate had been instructed to stay back.
The official further revealed that two impatient students without any of the documents joined their colleagues and the Egyptian authorities were angry and directed that all the students should be taken back to Sudan to get the required permits.
The voice note said: “Our children have spoiled the efforts that the Federal Government is putting in place to airlift them. All the student that have passports were allowed to move to the Egypt airport and those that do not have were asked to wait behind and an ETC will be issued to them as a formal document for them to travel. Out of impatience, two students without passports or ETC sneaked in.
“Now, the two students were discovered at the Aswan airport and the Egyptian authorities are angry. Now, all the stranded Nigerians have to go back to Sudan. They conveyed over 500 Nigerians and everyone will go back to Sudan. They will have to get an exit permit and then get another permit back to Egypt. This will cause a delay of almost 10 hours.”
While speaking further, the official said: “Also, in the midst of the confusion, a child sneaked into Egypt. We cannot find him. Legal actions would be taken against the two students.”
The officer later warned students at Port Sudan to behave in a coordinated manner to avoid being returned back to Khartoum.
