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Nigerians Stranded in UAE, Lebanon Return
About 386 Nigerians have been returned to the country from the United Arab Emirates and Lebanon as part of the government’s efforts to assist stranded nationals abroad in the wake of COVID-19 travel restrictions.
The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), in a tweet via its official handle on Wednesday, said 292 Nigerians were evacuated from the UAE, taking the number of evacuees from the Arab country to 2,933 since it began evacuation in June.
According to NIDCOM, the evacuees arrived at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, at 02:30 p.m. on board an Emirates flight.
Also, 94 Nigerian girls, many of who are believed to have been trafficked to Lebanon and had appeared in a viral video asking for government’s help, were among those evacuated on Wednesday.
They arrived at Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos from Lebanon.
94 out of 150 Stranded Nigeria Girls arrive Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos from Lebanon today Wednesday, 12th of August, 2020,” NIDCOM tweeted.
The agency said while the evacuees had tested negative to COVID-19 before boarding the plane, they would be undergoing a mandatory 14-day self-isolation, in line with the guidelines issued by the federal government.
Receiving the stranded girls at the airport, the Chairman, NIDCOM, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, commended the efforts of actors that contributed to the successful repatriation of the girls.
“On hand to welcome home 94 Nigerians stranded in Lebanon for months . A big thank you to the Lebaneese Amb to Nigeria, the Nigerian Mission in Lebanon, the Lebaneese Community in Nigeria for making this possible Nema is handling their logistics . More returning soon,” Mrs Dabiri-Erewa said in a Twitter post.
As the COVID-19 pandemic held the world in a tailspin, Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, asked Nigerians interested in returning to the country to buy into the evacuation idea and work with Nigeria’s embassies and high commissions across the world.
Nigerian airports have been closed to international flights since March, but essential flights are still allowed.
“What is important to get out to all Nigerians is that their engagement and communication should be with the embassies, high commissions and not with any other parallel agency, department of government or anything like that,” Mr Onyeama said in a briefing of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 in April.
Nigeria has since repatriated thousands of stranded nationals from countries like the United States, the United Kingdom, Egypt, Sudan, France, Ethiopia, and many others.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian government said it had spent N169 million on the evacuation of Nigerians from abroad.
Premium Times
Former governor of Anambra State, presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 election, Mr. Peter Obi, has officially defected to the coalition-backed African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Obi announced the decision on Tuesday at an event held at the Nike Lake Resort, Enugu.
“We are ending this year with the hope that in 2026 we will begin a rescue journey,” Obi said.
The National Chairman of the ADC, David Mark, was among the attendees.
United States Representative Riley Moors has said further military strikes against Islamic State-linked militants in Nigeria could follow recent operations ordered by President Donald Trump, describing the actions as aimed at improving security and protecting Christian communities facing violence.
Moore made the remarks during a televised interview in which he addressed U.S. military strikes carried out on Christmas Day against militant targets in North-west Nigeria.
The strikes were conducted in coordination with the Nigerian government, according to U.S. and Nigerian officials.
“President Trump is not trying to bring war to Nigeria, he’s bringing peace and security to Nigeria and to the thousands of Christians who face horrific violence and death,” Moore said.
He said the Christmas Day strikes against Islamic State affiliates had provided hope to Christians in Nigeria, particularly in areas affected by repeated attacks during past festive periods.
According to U.S. authorities, the strikes targeted camps used by Islamic State-linked groups operating in parts of north-west Nigeria.
Nigerian officials confirmed that the operation was carried out with intelligence support from Nigerian security agencies as part of ongoing counter-terrorism cooperation between both countries.
The United States Africa Command said the operation was intended to degrade the operational capacity of extremist groups responsible for attacks on civilians and security forces.
Nigerian authorities have described the targeted groups as a threat to national security, noting their involvement in killings, kidnappings and raids on rural communities.
Moore said the strikes marked a shift from previous years in which attacks were carried out against civilians during the Christmas period. He said the U.S. administration was focused on preventing further violence by targeting militant groups before they could launch attacks.
U.S. officials have said the military action was carried out with the consent of the Nigerian government and formed part of broader security cooperation between the two countries. Nigeria has received intelligence, training and logistical support from international partners as it seeks to contain militant activity.
Moore had previously called for stronger international attention to attacks on Christian communities in Nigeria and has urged continued U.S. engagement in addressing extremist violence. He said further action would depend on developments on the ground and continued coordination with Nigerian authorities.
Nigerian officials have maintained that counter-terrorism operations are directed at armed groups threatening civilians, regardless of religion, and have reiterated their commitment to restoring security across affected regions.
World-renowned boxer Anthony Joshua on Monday survived a ghastly road accident in Makun, Ogun State.
Eyewitnesses report that the incident occurred along a busy highway of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway.
The vehicle carrying Joshua, a Lexus Jeep with the number plate, KRD 850 HN, reportedly collided with a stationary truck under circumstances that are still being investigated.
Joshua reportedly sustained minor injuries, while two persons were said to have died on the spot.
