Nigerian evacuee: We've been on the road for nine hours

Nigerian veterinary student Samuel Otunla, who earlier told the BBC about being trapped in the north-eastern Ukrainian city of Sumy, says he and other students are being evacuated.

“We are very pleased to be on the bus. It’s finally a relief to leave the city,” he told the BBC.

“So far we have spent nine hours on the road.

“The driver said he doesn’t know for sure where we’re heading - there’s just a whole convoy and he’s following that, but it appears it will be a city in the Poltavska region.”

He said the journey would usually be a three-hour drive.

“But because of the conditions of the ceasefire agreement, we have to pass through a different route,” he added.

Earlier, Nigeria’s foreign minister thanked the Ukrainian government for organising the buses - and said all Nigerian students had left the city.

This article originally appeared on BBC News

Photo: Samuel Otunla