According to a report by InsideNaijaBlog, citing the Nigerian Television Authority, 400 Nigerians deported from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) arrived at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja on Wednesday. The deportees, comprising 90 females and 310 males, were received by officials from the Office of the National Security Adviser, in collaboration with relevant stakeholders, including the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants, and Internally Displaced Persons, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, and the National Emergency Management Agency.
This deportation occurs amid ongoing diplomatic tensions between Nigeria and the UAE, which have been experiencing visa restrictions and travel bans. The UAE imposed a visa ban on Nigerians nearly two years ago, stemming from various diplomatic disputes, including the halting of flights to Nigeria by Dubai’s Emirates Airline. The airline cited the Central Bank of Nigeria’s inability to remit an estimated $850 million in revenue to the UAE as the reason for the halt.
However, reports earlier this year indicated that both countries reached an agreement to lift travel restrictions on Nigerians. In June, after several rounds of negotiations with UAE authorities, the Nigerian government assured its citizens that the visa ban would soon be lifted. Around the same time, it was announced that Nigeria had paid 98% of the $850 million owed, signaling progress in resolving the dispute.
Despite this progress, the deportation of the 400 Nigerians from the UAE may be related to various undisclosed issues. The exact circumstances surrounding their deportation are not yet clear, and the Nigerian government has not released an official statement regarding the deportation.
It is worth noting that this is not the first time Nigerians have been deported from the UAE. In July 2024, the Federal Government repatriated a total of 190 Nigerians from the UAE, as reported by InsideNaijaBlog. The Nigerian government has been working to resolve the diplomatic issues with the UAE, and the lifting of the visa restrictions was seen as a positive step towards normalizing relations between the two countries.
The deportation of the 400 Nigerians from the UAE highlights the need for continued dialogue and cooperation between the two countries to resolve their diplomatic differences. The Nigerian government must also address the underlying issues that led to the deportation of its citizens, including the payment of outstanding debts and the resolution of diplomatic disputes.
