As Russia bares its power loose on Ukraine through land, air and sea – an unprecedented full military operation that has riled the whole world up, ripping through covid economic recovery and shooting oil prices up, every country has inadvertently got into a race to evacuate its citizens.

Many countries began issuing the ‘leave Ukraine immediately’ warning to their citizens at the early sign that war is inevitable. However, as warning statements from foreign affairs departments form a flurry of worry, the Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement, urging Nigerians in Ukraine to relax.

Foreign Affairs minister Geoffrey Onyeama said on NTA Thursday afternoon: “The advice we were getting was that Nigerians in Ukraine should not panic. The embassy was in touch with them, telling them to take reasonable precautions, which has been ongoing for a while.” The Russian government itself was saying they will not invade, he added.

Ukraine is both a business and education hub, having thousands of international students, including Nigerians. Morocco, Nigeria, and Egypt make up the list of top 10 countries for international students in Ukraine, accounting for 8,000, 4,000 and 3,500 students respectively. The three African countries made up nearly 20% of all foreign students in Ukraine as of 2020, according to Ukraine’s ministry of education and science.

Besides this number of Nigerian students in Ukraine, there are thousands of others who have different business in the Eastern European country – all needed to be evacuated while there is still a chance.

A dramatic turn of events came with Russian president Vladimir Putin recognizing the independence of Ukraine’s separatist regions, Donetsk and Luhansk. As the war escalates, the chance of evacuation gets slimmer. Ukraine has shut its airspace to commercial airlines and the government has ordered all men from 18 to years not to leave the country.

In a change of tone, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday assured Nigerians in Ukraine and their loved ones that as soon as the airports in the country are opened, the federal government would assist in facilitating the evacuation of Nigerians who are willing to leave. It added that the “Nigerian Mission has confirmed that military action by the Russians has been confined to military installations.”

However, the increasing reports of civilian casualties in Ukraine has not only debunked the statement of the Ministry, it has also fueled concern for the safety of everyone in the country.

Nigerians in Ukraine, who have been following the instruction from the Mission, said they’re all packed and waiting for the next instruction.

“Internet has gone down. Some services are not working. Refugees camp hasn’t been set up yet, but we’re waiting for a signal to move,” a Nigerian wrote on Twitter.

https://twitter.com/eldrenna/status/1496708929254010884?t=e-oiXyUvNsiuqmgvi14UEQ&s=19

The latest advisory from the Nigerian Embassy in Ukraine urges “Nigerian nationals resident in Ukraine to remain calm, but be very vigilant and be responsible for their personal security and safety.”

“The embassy wishes to add that should any Nigerian nationals consider the situation as emotionally disturbing, such nationals may wish to temporarily relocate to anywhere considered safe by private arrangements. They should, however, ensure that they do all the needful to validate all their resident documents for ease of return to the country when desired,” it said.

Nearly 200,000 Russian troops have been let loose into Ukraine, eliminating the hope that Putin will withdraw them any time soon, and narrowing the window of evacuation as Ukrainians fight back.

On Thursday, Nigerian House of Representatives offered to evacuate Nigerians, according to a post made on its Twitter account. The House said it is counting on Allen Onyema, CEO of Air Peace airline, who evacuated Nigerians in South Africa during the xenophobic attacks, to volunteer some planes for Nigerians in Ukraine.

The House said its Committee Chairman on Foreign Affairs will jet out to Ukraine, Friday. It is hoped that the trip will open a way out for Nigerians.

While tech experts are discussing the financial institutions, they would be more concerned about how much and far the key players in the sector have fared in respect of tech-driven measures.

As some stakeholders would dispute the ‘goodness’ and remarkable activity of the financial institutions, others would ceaselessly defend the ‘unavoidable impact’ of the sector even with last drop of their blood.

Financial institutions, the bank particularly, have greatly enabled mankind to jettison the archaic pattern of saving money and other valuables, thereby averting a whole lot of troubles usually characterized by the said method.

The bank as a sector has in recent times obviously contributed to countless economic growth recorded by both individuals and entities, particularly a given country or bloc as might be the case.

Regarding savings, the bank creates an unquantifiable opportunity for the human race, businessmen and traders in particular, to on a daily basis safe-keep their monies and assets towards experiencing a better ease of doing business or trading.

The bank has thus far arguably saved people from a lot of tensions, because it has created and maintained an avenue where anyone, regardless of status, can easily deposit his/her money without exercising any element of fear concerning safety.

With the introduction of the ongoing Consolidation Policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) as ably initiated during the reign of Prof. Charles Soludo, it is now certain that any amount of money/asset kept, or deposit made, in any commercial bank domiciled within the country is certainly safe.

The reliability of commercial banks are presently well guaranteed, and such can at any time be proven by any financial or policy analyst. This is the sole reason people from all walks of life can be seen currently trooping into banks to make deposits of valuables.

And with the existence of the newly introduced Cashless Policy by the apex bank, people can now make transactions from the comfort of their respective bedrooms, with ease.

The cashless policy, with the aid of tech-driven measures, has really assisted the banking sector in curtailing several inconveniences and stresses faced by their personnel as well as the clients.

The aforementioned policy has equally hitherto helped the sector to alleviate all sorts of physical social ills usually experienced by the banking industry, such but not limited to as armed robbery, to a reasonable extent.

Before now, with much cash flow in circulation, armed robbers had greater opportunity to physically invade people’s privacies, be it offices, shops, residences, or on the roads, thereby forcefully making away with their hard-earned money.

On the other hand, the advent of the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) mechanism in the banking sector has constituted tremendous unbearable non-physical ills popularly known as electronic frauds (e-frauds). These crimes aren’t physically perpetrated like in the case of armed robbery.

The e-fraud, as the name implies, pertains to all kinds of ills emanating from the use of electronic gadgets or equipment to include computers and cell phones, among others.

ICT remains the major aid of the ongoing modern system of banking. It’s worthy of note that the said mode of technology cannot be possible without the use of electronic devices and mechanisms such as computers and the internet, as well as networking.

This electronic methodology, since inception in the banking sector, has profusely been characterized by countless frauds. It’s worth noting that the electronic ills can only be possible via a manipulation called hacking.

It’s only when one’s electronic belonging – including personal and bank accounts – is hacked, that the criminal would have the opportunity to perpetrate any type of intended crime that could cost the unsuspecting person a fortune. We must come into terms that anybody can fall victim of this dastardly act.

So, we can at this point wholly comprehend that though the advent and sustenance of the ICT in the banking sector has majorly assisted in solving a whole lot of plights and crises, it has made millions of people victims.

In various fora and platforms, I’ve extensively analyzed several issues and ills pertaining to electronic (internet) hacking. In my candid words (analyses), I’ve taken time to advise that, for us to enjoy or appreciate the use of electronics, we must be well and aptly prepared to make, introduce and maintain sound policies, either as separate individuals or entities.

As a group of people called Nigeria, the corporate body that’s in charge of the country’s banking system in its entirety must at this digital age be more concerned on how to strategize with a view to ensuring that the existence of tech-driven measures doesn’t end up causing more harm than good to the entire system.

The above can only be duly achieved by introducing and maintaining a wholesome and reliable policy-making unit in the institution. Hence, the CBN mustn’t relent in making this happen within its jurisdiction.

As these merchants try to make profit in the lucrative banking business while helping the public safeguard their fortunes or treasures, they as an institution must equally create corporate guidelines that would help their clients avert various troubles liable to befall them.

On corporate policy, banks must be well tutored on the compelling need to create more secured online Apps or softwares by engaging reputable IT experts. Similarly, a standard ICT unit ought to be maintained in their respective branches.

On individual policy, the users of the computer Apps must on the other hand be thoroughly sensitized on how best to protect their online transaction identities and details at all times. This measure must equally involve respected and reliable professionals.

The bitter fact remains that, as sophisticated technologies evolve, the criminally-minded persons or entities in the system would strive to take advantage of the development at the expense of the unsuspecting users.

This is the reason corporate bodies and individuals are regularly advised to endeavour to be wiser than the criminals just as mankind is being advised by the Holy writ to be smarter than the devil.

Hence, the educational institutions, on their part, must invariably be ready to inculcate the required expertise into the ICT learners or trainees undergoing various trainings within their jurisdictions.

Though Nigerians have left where they used to be, there’s still an enormous distance to cover in a bid to arrive at the needed point.