African Union concerned over reports of Africans stranded at Ukraine's borders

By Addis Getachew and Olarewaju Kola

LAGOS, Nigeria/ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AA) – The African Union expressed concern Monday over reports that Africans in Ukraine are being prevented from safely crossing the border to flee the war with Russia.

Senegal’s President Macky Sall and African Union Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat said in a joint statement that they were particularly disturbed by the reports.

“Reports that Africans are singled out for unacceptable dissimilar treatment would be shockingly racist and in breach (of) international law,” the statement said.

Nigeria has described the reactions of Ukrainian police at the borders against its citizens fleeing the country as extremely disheartening

Foreign Affairs Minister Geoffrey Onyeama said many Nigerians who have fled Ukraine complained that they faced some sort of discrimination by Ukrainian border police.

He said there are roughly 8,000 Nigerians in Ukraine and some of them have been received at Nigeria’s embassies in neighboring countries.

He added that plans are underway to begin the evacuation of other Nigerians from Ukraine on Wednesday.

"Romania will be the hub for the evacuation," he said on a local TV program.