BY FRONTLINE REPORTERS
The Federal Government has begun arrangements to evacuate Nigerians stranded in parts of the Middle East as tensions in the region continue to escalate following recent missile and drone attacks linked to Iran.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs disclosed on Monday that it was finalising administrative procedures and securing the release of funds to begin the evacuation process.
The spokesperson for the ministry, Kimiebi Ebienfa, confirmed the development in an interview, stating that preparations were underway.
“The government is working out the necessary administrative details and the release of funds to commence evacuation,” he said.
The decision comes amid rising security concerns across several Gulf nations following coordinated military strikes by the United States and Israel against Iran on February 28.
The crisis has disrupted international travel and raised concerns about the safety of Nigerians living or travelling through countries including Iran, Israel, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Qatar.
Evacuation Challenges
Officials earlier explained that Nigerians in the most vulnerable areas, particularly in Iran and Israel, remain the government’s priority.
According to the ministry, evacuating Nigerians from Iran poses logistical challenges, including transporting stranded students from different universities to the Armenian border while meeting immigration conditions set by Armenia.
Authorities also said several evacuation options were being explored, including the possible deployment of aircraft from the Nigerian Air Force, although the volatile security situation has made flight arrangements difficult.
Most Nigerians stranded in Qatar, the ministry noted, were transit passengers affected by disrupted flights but were receiving support from their airlines.
Ebienfa added that Qatar Airways had resumed flights to Nigeria.
“Qatar Airways has started operating flights to Nigeria. There was a flight to Lagos today from Doha,” he said.
He explained that in the coming days, Nigerians stranded due to disrupted transit flights would gradually return home.
UAE Intercepts Missiles
Meanwhile, authorities in the United Arab Emirates confirmed that their air defence systems intercepted multiple ballistic missiles and drones launched from Iran.
The UAE Ministry of Defence said nine ballistic missiles and 33 drones were intercepted on March 14 as part of a wider wave of attacks since the beginning of what it described as Iranian aggression.
Officials said at least six people were killed while more than 140 residents and foreign workers sustained injuries.
The ministry added that since the start of the hostilities, its defence systems had intercepted 294 ballistic missiles, 15 cruise missiles and about 1,600 drones.
Among the injured were nationals from several countries, including Nigeria.
However, Ebienfa confirmed that the Nigerian affected in the incident had received medical treatment and had been discharged.
Iran Offers Cooperation
Meanwhile, Iran has expressed readiness to assist Nigerians who wish to leave the country.
The Iranian Ambassador to Nigeria, Gholamreza Raja, said the government of Iran would cooperate with Nigerian authorities to facilitate the safe departure of Nigerian nationals.
“Naturally, the Nigerian Embassy in Tehran has taken the necessary measures to assist its nationals and remains in contact with members of the Nigerian community,” he said.
Raja noted that Iran’s land borders with neighbouring countries remain open and are being used by foreign nationals seeking to exit the country.
“Many foreign nationals are already using these land routes for travel or departure. Reports indicate that the routes are safe,” he added.
The ambassador said several hundred Nigerians live in Iran, many of them students studying in Iranian universities under scholarship programmes, while others are involved in small-scale business activities.
Emirates Suspends Flights
In a related development, Emirates has temporarily suspended all flights to and from Dubai amid the escalating conflict.
The airline advised passengers not to travel to Dubai International Airport until further notice as aviation authorities assess the security situation.
The suspension followed directives from the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, which grounded flights through the airport.
The disruption has left thousands of travellers stranded worldwide, particularly passengers using Dubai as a transit hub between Nigeria and other international destinations.
The airline said it was working with aviation authorities to determine when operations could safely resume, assuring passengers that safety remained its highest priority.
The crisis has also begun affecting business activities linked to Dubai, a key destination for conferences, trade events and tourism for many Nigerians, with several scheduled meetings either cancelled or relocated.
Travel agents also say many Nigerian passengers are still awaiting refunds for tickets purchased before earlier flight suspensions.
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