Leadnaija
Nigerians living in Iran have lamented that they had been abandoned by the country’s embassy staff members as the conflict between Iran and Israel escalates.
This is despite the promise of the Federal Government on Tuesday that it was finalising emergency evacuation plans for Nigerian citizens stranded in both Middle East countries.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs had in a statement released by its spokesperson, Mr. Kimiebi Ebienfa, assured that Nigeria’s embassies in Tel Aviv and Tehran were actively reaching out to affected citizens and coordinating efforts to ensure their safe return.
The ministry had acknowledged the dedication of diplomatic staff in both countries and assured the public of the government’s commitment to the safety and welfare of its citizens abroad.
It also noted ongoing collaboration with international partners and local authorities to ensure a timely and secure evacuation process.
The statement read in part, “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to inform that following the escalation of the crisis between the State of Israel and the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Federal Government is finalising arrangements for the emergency evacuation of stranded Nigerians in both countries.
“All affected Nigerian citizens are therefore strongly advised to abide by necessary security protocols and contact the nearest Nigerian Embassy or Mission for registration and further instructions.”
However, a group of stranded Nigerians living in Iran made a viral video on social media accusing officials of the Nigerian Embassy in Tehran, the Iranian capital, of abandonment by fleeing their posts and abandoning them to their fate.
This is coming just as tension between the two feuding nations continues to escalate with no end in sight, prompting global fear of nuclear war.
In the video circulating on social media platforms, one of the affected Nigerians can be seen standing outside what appears to be the Nigerian Embassy in Tehran, voicing frustration and fear over the alleged abandonment by diplomatic staff.
“We are Nigerians, we just came to the Nigerian Embassy here in Tehran in respect to the situation as it has been said that all residents of Tehran should be evacuated,” the speaker in the video says. “And we came to the Nigerian embassy here, at least to see the staff or the ambassador, these are Nigerians also.”
The man continues, alleging that no official was present at the embassy to assist or provide information to the citizens.
“We came here, and all of them have abandoned Nigerian citizens to their own fate in Tehran, Iran. That is why we are making this video so that it can go viral that the Nigerian Government has abandoned its citizens here. They have abandoned their citizens in Iran. They have all fled,” he said.
He further claimed that the embassy staff, including the ambassador, had escaped to an island for safety.
“We have been reliably informed that they all went to island, that is where they are now,” he added.
When contacted on Friday for development, Ebienfa, who refused to give an update with regards to the efforts of the Federal Government however referred Saturday Telegraph to the statement the ministry issued on Tuesday.
“I urge you to visit the social media handle of the ministry to see the statement we issued on the crisis, whatever information that you seek is contained in it,” he said.
Reacting to the enquiries posed to her, the Executive Chairman of the Nigeria Diaspora Commission, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, directed our correspondent to the ministry in a response via her Whatsapp platform.
“Direct all enquiries to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” her terse response to Saturday Telegraph reads.
The two presidential spokesmen, Mr. Bayo Onanuga and Daniel Bwala, however did not pick their respective calls when contacted.
They have also not responded to messages sent to them as at the time of filing this report.
