Crisis in the Middle East: We received distress calls from Nigerian citizens – NIDCOM

The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) has denied media reports that no distress calls have been received from Nigerians stranded in the Middle East due to the ongoing crisis in the region.

The commission in a press release by the Director of Media, Public Relations and Protocols, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, on Tuesday in Abuja, said: “The attention of NIDCOM has been drawn to a statement credited to the Commission spokesperson, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, that there are no distress calls from Nigerians stranded in the Middle East due to the ongoing crisis in the region. I have never made such a statement.

“To the contrary, the Commission has actually received calls from some Nigerians in Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Iran inquiring about preparations for evacuation when necessary.

“The fact of the matter is that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is working with all relevant agencies to take appropriate measures, appealing to Nigerians in the affected countries to follow the travel advice issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and contact the emergency numbers provided by the Ministry.

“Nigerians in the affected countries should be assured that the Federal Government is monitoring the situation and will take necessary measures to ensure that no Nigerian life is in danger.”

Meanwhile, the Embassy of Nigeria in Kuwait has urged Nigerian citizens residing in the State of Kuwait to remain calm and observe safety guidelines and advisories.

The Embassy circular reads: “In light of the circumstances prevailing in the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the State of Kuwait, with concurrent accreditation to the Kingdom of Bahrain, wishes to advise all Nigerian citizens in both countries to remain vigilant, observe the security guidelines of their host (official) governments and remain calm at all times.

“The Embassy would also like to encourage our compatriots to monitor local news and official announcements from the Kuwaiti and Bahraini governments. The Embassy is closely monitoring the situation and is in close contact with the leadership of the various communities.

«In the meantime, a dedicated mobile/WhatsApp line has been created to ensure active communication with everyone.

“For further questions please contact the Embassy via the following email: @[email protected] or call/WhatsApp +965 992 388 35 or join Embassy of Nigeria Kuwait/Bahrain group chat for support: https:// chat.whatsapp.com/IdLCVvalPbJjANbegUVnemG?mode=gi T