Nigeria's government has condemned reports of discriminatory treatment of Africans and other Black people at the Ukrainian border.
Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine on February 24, there have been increasing reports of Africans being blocked from crossing the border into neighboring countries as refugees.
It's a heartbreaking situation amid an already horrific ordeal. So, before we give you an overview of the situation, we would like to share several links detailing how you can support Black individuals attempting to flee Ukraine.
Here's how you can support people fleeing Ukraine
Here is a list of links and resources dedicated to helping those affected by this terrible crisis - including Africans and Afro-Caribbeans.
"Dedicated to amplifying Black foreigners in Ukraine voices and helping get them get to safely."
Support vulnerable Black people in Ukraine
"This fund is launched by a Coalition of African and Black organizations worldwide who are joining forces to support members of our community in collaboration with people on the ground in Ukraine."
Other ways to help those affected by the conflict
As well as donating to causes dedicated to helping those affected by the crisis in Ukraine, you can also join a protest in your local area, send humanitarian supplies, read the news from trusted sources, signs petitions and write to your local politicians calling for more to be done, and keep sharing information on your social media pages.
What is happening to Black people in Ukraine?
The situation in Ukraine has sparked a global outcry, with governments around the world imposing sanctions on Russia after President Vladimir Putin announced his "special military operation" on the country's Eastern European neighbor.
At the time of writing, it is believed that approximately 160,000 Ukrainian citizens have been displaced within their country, and over 500,000 have been forced to flee into neighboring countries such as Poland and Moldova.
Of this half a million seeking refuge in other countries, there are reportedly a number of Africans - mostly students - who have been prevented from leaving the war-torn Ukraine.
There have been a number of reports of Ukrainian security officials stopping Africans from getting on public transport on their way to the border, with videos circulating on social media appearing to show this.
As reported by the Guardian, a 22-year-old Nigerian software engineering student named Samuel George says he and his friends were stopped in their vehicle while in a queue of cars trying to flee the country.
Similar stories have been reported by a number of outlets including BBC News and the New York Times.
In a statement on Monday, February 28, Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari responded to the allegations by saying:
“All who flee a conflict situation have the same right to safe passage under UN convention and the color of their passport or their skin should make no difference.
“From video evidence, first-hand reports, and from those in contact with ... Nigerian consular officials, there have been unfortunate reports of Ukrainian police and security personnel refusing to allow Nigerians to board buses and trains heading towards Ukraine-Poland border.”
Buhari also cited footage widely circulated on social media that appeared to show a Nigerian woman carrying a baby being made to give up her seat to another person.
He continued: “One group of Nigerian students having been repeatedly refused entry into Poland have concluded they have no choice but to travel again across Ukraine and attempt to exit the country via the border with Hungary.
“While efforts to begin talks between Russia and Ukraine are underway, paramount on our minds is the safety and human rights of some four thousand Nigerian citizens and many others from friendly African nations today stranded in Ukraine.”
Sharing these same concerns, Nigeria's foreign minister Geoffrey Onyeama took to Twitter to share that he had spoken on the phone with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Dmytro Kuleba.
As part of a series of tweets, Onyeama explained that Kuleba had told him Ukrainian border guards had been instructed to allow all foreigners to leave. Kuleba did, however, promise to investigate the situation.
Onyeama concluded: “I am personally coordinating with our missions in Ukraine, Poland, Russia, Romania, and Hungary to ensure we get our citizens out of Ukraine and bring back to Nigeria those ready to return while supporting those who are remaining in Ukraine.”
