Amid rising hostilities between Iran, the United States and Israel, the Federal Government has declared that no Nigerian in Iran has cried out for help.
The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) says despite the tension rocking the region, it has not received a single official distress call from any Nigerian resident in Iran.
NiDCOM’s Director of Media and Public Relations, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, made the position clear.
“I’m not saying there are no Nigerians there, I’m only saying nobody has sent any distress call,” he clarified.
Pressed for figures of Nigerians who could be affected by the crisis, Balogun said the commission does not have such data and pointed inquiries to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“We don’t have embassies there. The only person controlling embassies is the Minister of Foreign Affairs. They will be able to tell you’’ he said
On whether the commission is working with airlines or foreign authorities to prevent Nigerians from being stranded, he said the situation on ground makes that impossible.
“There is suspension of (flights) by all airlines. We cannot collaborate with anybody,” he said, noting that Nigeria currently has no national carrier operating international routes. Which Nigerian airline? We don’t have one now” he said
Balogun explained that Nigerians travelling to Iran usually do so privately, often connecting through countries like the United Arab Emirates or Greece.
For now, as bombs fall and tensions rise in the Middle East, Abuja says no Nigerian in Iran has officially raised the alarm.
