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250 Nigerians to be evacuated from UAE - THE CABLE
Another batch of 250 stranded Nigerians will be evacuated back home soon from United Arab Emirates (UAE), Abike Dabiri-Erewa Chairman/CEO, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDcom), said yesterday.
The country on Tuesday evacuated 190 Nigerians from the UAE.
Mrs Dabiri-Erewa made this known during a visit to the United Arab Emirates’ Ambassador to Nigeria, Ambassador Salem Saeed Al-Shamsi.
The meeting followed the lifting of visa ban on Nigeria by the UAE.
The oil rich gulf country had in October 2022 banned nationals of Nigeria and 19 other African countries from entering its capital city, Dubai.
The visit was part of the efforts towards deepening relations between the two countries.
Dabiri-Erewa, according to a statement by Gabriel Odu, Media, Public Relations and Protocol unit: “One hundred and ninety Nigerians were repatriated to Nigeria, with an additional 250 expected to return soon.”
She noted that the actions of individuals in a host country could greatly impact the overall image of their home country.
She, therefore, noted that she “intends to engage and sensitise Nigerians in the UAE to be good ambassadors of their country of stay and country of origin, to excel in whatever they are doing and never to forget home.
She added: “This initiative aims to foster better understanding and compliance with local regulations”.
She also noted the role of Western media imperialism in perpetuating negative stereotypes about Nigerians.
Ambassador Salem Saeed Al-Shamsi explained that the Visa on Arrival policy had been cancelled for all countries, but assured that the new procedures were designed to facilitate tourism and ensure travellers’ safe return.
The ambassador expressed his commitment to providing the best possible services for Nigerians, with the support of the determined Nigerian government. He also acknowledged the UAE’s role in safely repatriating 96 Nigerians.
Marking his one-year anniversary as the UAE Ambassador to Nigeria, Al-Shamsi shared his positive impressions of Nigeria, describing it as a beautiful country with warm-hearted people who share similar cultural, religious, and ethnic backgrounds with the UAE. He expressed his eagerness to continue collaborating with NiDCOM to strengthen ties between the two countries.
Mrs Dabiri-Erewa confirmed the development on ‘X’ yesterday.
