As the sectarian violence in the Central African Republic, CAR, which began in March following the overthrow of President Francois Bozize rages, the federal government has perfected plans to evacuate 200 Nigerians trapped in Bangui, the country’s capital.

Chairman, House of Representatives committee on foreign affairs, Nnenna Ukeje, who disclosed this during a live interview on NTA network news, said the 200 Nigerians were currently taking refuge at the Nigeria Embassy in Bangui.

She said the committee had engaged the foreign affairs ministry and the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, to immediately provide an aircraft for their evacuation

According to Ukeje, there are about 30,000 Nigerians living in CAR.

Human Rights Watch reported that Christian militia fighters in CAR have committed atrocities against Muslims in a cycle of violence that “threatens to spin out of control.”

Emergencies director for Human Rights Watch, Peter Bouckaert, said the “potential for further mass violence is shockingly high.”

The UN estimates that about 600 people have been killed in less than two weeks while some 210,000 people have been forced from their homes in the capital alone.

Earlier this month, the UN Security Council authorised an African-led and French-backed peacekeeping force to quell the spiralling violence.

France has deployed 1,600 troops under the UN mandate to help the African peacekeeping force to restore security in the country.