Amnesty International, Nigeria, has advocated for an immediate ceasefire in raging civil crisis in Sudan, calling for urgent deployment of a peacekeeping force to protect civilians in the country.

Besides, the organization canvassed accelerated intervention to prevent possible escalation of the crisis into serious humanitarian and regional security challenges.

The Chairman Amnesty International, Board of Trustees, Auwal Musa Rafsanjani made the call on Monday in Kano during the presentation of Amnesty International’s latest report on the Sudan crisis.

In the report, Amnesty International alleged that the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) committed crimes against humanity and carried out ethnic cleansing during its campaign to seize El Fasher in North Darfur State.

Rafsanjani also noted Nigeria’s strategic role in African affairs, stressing that peace and stability in Sudan are essential to the prosperity of both Nigeria and the continent.

He said Amnesty International chose Kano for the presentation because of the city’s longstanding historical and cultural links with Sudan through the ancient Trans-Saharan trade routes and centuries of Islamic scholarship.

“We believe that a stable and peaceful Sudan is vital for the prosperity of Nigeria and Africa in general. We therefore call for an immediate ceasefire and the deployment of a peacekeeping force to protect civilians,” he said.

He welcomed a delegation from Amnesty International’s Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Office, comprising officials from Nairobi and Johannesburg, describing their participation as evidence of effective African collaboration in promoting and protecting human rights.

Rafsanjani believed the North African nation, with a population of about 51 million, has long been recognised for its rich history, cultural heritage and educational institutions.

He noted that before the conflict escalated, Sudan had about 56 universities attracting international students, including thousands of Nigerians.

According to him, between three and seven million Sudanese are believed to have Nigerian ancestry, particularly from the Hausa, Fulani and Kanuri ethnic groups.

Rafsanjani further disclosed that since the conflict intensified in 2023, at least 3,100 Nigerians—mostly students—have been evacuated from Sudan, with many forced to abandon their education. He described the disruption of their studies as a major tragedy, adding that the humanitarian crisis has continued to worsen.

He said that since fighting erupted in 2023, tens of thousands of people have been killed, while nearly 14 million others have been displaced, making the Sudan conflict one of the world’s gravest humanitarian emergencies.

Rafsanjani urged governments, regional bodies and the international community to intensify efforts towards ending the conflict and ensuring accountability for alleged human rights violations.