THE Federal Government has begun the move for a possible evacuation of Nigerians caught in the escalating Middle East conflict.
According to Punch, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, on Monday said that evacuation planning was in motion, noting that authorities were fine-tuning administrative processes while preparing funds to kick-start the operation.
“The government is working out the necessary administrative details and the release of funds to commence evacuation,” Ebienfa said.
This development follows the growing concern over Nigerians stranded in countries such as Iran, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Qatar, where flight cancellations and airspace restrictions have complicated exit plans since the February 28 coordinated strikes on Iran by the United States and Israel, which have since triggered a chain of retaliatory incidents and widespread disruption.
Last week, the ministry said that priority was being given to Nigerians in high-risk zones, like Iran and Israel where evacuation was proving most complex, noting that in Iran, plans involved moving stranded students across multiple cities to the Armenian border, navigating both security risks and strict entry conditions.
The ministry had explained that it was also weighing multiple evacuation routes, including the potential deployment of Nigerian Air Force aircraft, though volatile conditions have made flight approvals uncertain, adding that most of the Nigerians stranded in Qatar were transit passengers whose flights were disrupted, but who were being taken care of by their airlines.
“Qatar Airways has started operating flights to Nigeria. There was a flight to Lagos today (Monday) from Doha. So, in a few days, the category of Nigerian stranded due to transit flights that were affected by the crisis will all be in Nigeria. This is in addition to flights to Cairo, Egypt and Nairobi, Kenya that included some Nigerians,” Ebienfa said.
Similarly, Iran’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Gholamreza Raja, on Monday said that Tehran was ready to work with Nigerian authorities to ensure the safe exit of Nigerians who choose to leave the country, reaffirming Iran’s commitment to protecting foreign nationals, including Nigerians, amid the ongoing tensions.
“Naturally, the Nigerian Embassy in Tehran has taken the necessary measures to assist and support its nationals, and it remains in contact with members of the Nigerian community to provide guidance where needed,” the ambassador said.
He noted that the Nigerian Embassy in Tehran had already activated support measures and remained in close contact with the Nigerian community, providing guidance and assistance where necessary.
“Currently, Iran’s land borders with neighbouring countries are open, and normal movement through these routes is ongoing. Many foreign nationals are already using these land routes for travel or departure. Reports indicate that the routes are safe and can be used without difficulty. Nigerian citizens can therefore make use of these routes if they choose to do so,” Raja said.
The ICIR reports that the conflict, which has lasted for over two weeks, has unsettled markets as oil prices climbed above $104 per barrel, while Asian equities slipped amid concerns over potential disruptions to Middle East energy infrastructure.
US president Donald Trump had urged major energy-importing nations to help reopen the waterway amid escalating tensions from the conflict, which has rattled global energy markets and heightened fears over Middle East oil supplies, as nearly 20 per cent of the world’s oil shipments pass through the narrow maritime corridor.
However, Japan and Australia have rejected Trump’s call, noting that they had no plans to deploy warships to escort commercial vessels through the vital oil transit route.
Nanji is an investigative journalist with the ICIR. She has years of experience in reporting and broadcasting human angle stories, gender inequalities, minority stories, and human rights issues. She has documented sexual war crimes in armed conflict, sex for grades in Nigerian Universities, harmful traditional practices and human trafficking.