By John Ikani
Over 500 Nigerian students have been sent back to Sudan by Egyptian authorities due to the failure of two students to present necessary travel documents at the airport.
Reports suggest that students without passports or Emergency Travel Certificates (ETC) had been instructed to remain behind, while others were permitted to move to the airport for their flight.
However, two students impatiently sneaked in without the required documents, causing the Egyptian authorities to take a hard stance on the matter.
As a result, all the stranded Nigerian students, numbering over 500, have been compelled to return to Sudan to obtain the needed permits.
An unidentified Nigerian official expressed disappointment at the situation, highlighting the impact of the students’ actions on the efforts of the Federal Government to airlift them.
“Our children have spoiled the efforts that the Federal Government is putting in place to airlift them,” the official said.
The two students’ impatience resulted in the delay of almost 10 hours for the other students, as they would now have to get an exit permit from Sudan and then another permit to return to Egypt.
The official also expressed concern about the whereabouts of a missing child who reportedly sneaked into Egypt amid the confusion at the airport.
“Legal actions would be taken against the two students,” warned the official, who also advised students at Port Sudan to behave in a coordinated manner to avoid being returned back to Khartoum.
