FG moves to evacuate Nigerians as Middle East crisis escalates

The Federal Government has begun arrangements to evacuate Nigerians affected by the escalating crisis in parts of the Middle East, as tensions triggered by missile and drone attacks linked to Iran continue to heighten across the region.

The move follows coordinated military strikes carried out by the United States and Israel against Iran on February 28, which have intensified hostilities and raised security concerns in several Gulf countries.

Spokesperson for the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, said on Monday that the government was finalising administrative procedures and releasing funds to commence the evacuation of Nigerians affected by the crisis.

“The government is working out the necessary administrative details and the release of funds to commence evacuation,” Ebienfa said.

He noted that authorities were particularly concerned about Nigerians stranded in countries such as Iran, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Qatar, where the ongoing hostilities have disrupted flights and travel plans.

According to the ministry, the evacuation process from Iran poses significant logistical challenges. Nigerian students scattered across different universities would need to be transported to the Armenian border while also meeting entry requirements set by Armenian authorities.

The government is also exploring several evacuation options, including the possible deployment of aircraft from the Nigerian Air Force, although the volatile security situation in the region has complicated efforts to secure safe flight operations.

Ebienfa explained that many Nigerians stranded in Qatar were mainly transit passengers whose flights were disrupted, but added that airlines were assisting them.

He revealed that Qatar Airways had resumed flights to Nigeria, including a flight from Doha to Lagos on Monday.

“In a few days, the category of Nigerians stranded due to transit flights affected by the crisis will all be back in Nigeria,” he said, adding that some Nigerians had also returned through flights routed via Cairo, Egypt, and Nairobi, Kenya.

Meanwhile, authorities in the United Arab Emirates confirmed that their air defence systems intercepted several missiles and drones launched from Iran on March 14.

The UAE Ministry of Defence said nine ballistic missiles and 33 unmanned aerial vehicles were intercepted, describing the attacks as part of a broader wave of strikes since the start of what it called Iranian aggression.

Officials said six people were killed while more than 140 others were injured during the attacks. Victims included residents and foreign workers from multiple countries, including Nigeria.

Since the conflict began, the ministry said its air defence systems had intercepted 294 ballistic missiles, 15 cruise missiles and nearly 1,600 drones launched from Iran.

Ebienfa confirmed that the Nigerian injured in the attacks had been treated and discharged from hospital.

Meanwhile, the Ambassador of the Iran to Nigeria, Gholamreza Raja, said Tehran was ready to cooperate with Nigerian authorities to facilitate the safe departure of Nigerians who wish to leave the country.

He stated that the Embassy of Nigeria in Tehran had already taken steps to support Nigerian citizens and remained in contact with members of the Nigerian community.

Raja added that Iran’s land borders with neighbouring countries remained open and were already being used by foreign nationals seeking to travel out of the country.

According to him, several hundred Nigerians currently reside in Iran, many of them students studying in Iranian institutions under scholarship programmes, while others are involved in small-scale business activities.

In a related development, Emirates announced the temporary suspension of all flights to and from Dubai, urging passengers not to travel to the airport until further notice.

The airline said the decision followed directives from the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, which grounded flights at Dubai International Airport amid rising regional tensions.

Emirates said it was working with aviation authorities to determine when it would be safe to resume operations, stressing that passenger safety remained its top priority.

The suspension has disrupted travel plans for thousands of passengers who use Dubai as a major international transit hub, including many travellers flying between Nigeria and other destinations.

The latest disruptions come as the conflict intensified following military strikes on Iran, which the US President, Donald Trump, described as a “major combat operation.”