Nigeria repatriates citizens from conflict-wracked CAR
Nigeria is repatriating over 1,600 citizens who have sought refuge in its embassy in Bangui.
Nigeria is repatriating over 1,600 citizens who have sought refuge in its embassy in Bangui, fleeing violence wracking theCentral African Republic, an army spokesman said Sunday.
"The Federal Government has ... arranged several chartered flights to bring home over 1,620 Nigerians who took refuge at the Nigerian Embassy in Bangui," said Chris Olukolade in a statement. The evacuation operation began Friday, and half of the Nigeriannationals have been brought home,the army added.
The resource-rich but impoverished Central African Republic has been wracked by ever-escalating violence since a March coup by themostly Muslim Seleka rebels installed Michel Djotodia as the country's first Muslim president.
Although Djotodia disbanded the rebels, some of them went rogue, leading to months of killing, rape and pillaging and promptingChristians to form vigilante groups in response. French and African Union troops have been struggling to restore order in the notoriously unstable nation since receiving a UNmandate in early December.
More than 1,000 people have been killed in the past month alone, while nearly a million have been displaced since the coup.
-Sapa