ABUJA, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)-The Federal Government has announced plans to evacuate Nigerians stranded in Iran as tensions continue to escalate across the Middle East.
The spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, in an interview that about 1,000 Nigerians in Iran had been affected by the crisis, with students making up the majority of those impacted.
Ebienfa revealed that the ministry convened an “inter-ministerial meeting” on Friday to finalise arrangements for a possible evacuation through Armenia.
“The Federal Government is making efforts to rescue Nigerians in Iran. There are approximately 1,000 Nigerian nationals in Iran affected by the crisis, and most of them are students,” he said.
The government’s action comes after coordinated military strikes carried out by the United States and Israel against Iran last Saturday.
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Both the US and Israel described the attacks as pre-emptive. Reports indicated that Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, was killed on the first day of the strikes, which targeted Iranian military installations and leadership facilities, including locations associated with the country’s nuclear and missile programmes.
In response, Iranian forces launched retaliatory strikes on US military bases and installations in Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, leading to air-defence alerts, temporary closures of airspace, and reports of civilian casualties.
The wave of explosions, airstrikes, and airspace disruptions has affected several countries in the region, including Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Jordan, and Israel.
On Tuesday, the Federal Government announced the immediate suspension of all pilgrimages to Israel due to the deteriorating security situation.
Last week, the government also issued a travel advisory to Nigerians living in or visiting Iran and neighbouring Gulf states, urging them to remain cautious, avoid unnecessary movement, and follow local safety instructions.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that it remained in close communication with Nigerian missions in Gulf countries and was working with international partners to ensure the safety of its citizens abroad.
Meanwhile, the Embassy of Nigeria in Kuwait, which also oversees Bahrain, released a circular on Sunday advising Nigerian nationals in both countries to stay alert and strictly observe safety guidelines.