In a significant development amid ongoing diplomatic tensions, four hundred Nigerians, including 90 females and 310 males, have been deported from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and have arrived back in Nigeria. The deportees landed at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, where they were received by a team of officials from several Nigerian agencies.
According to a report by the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), the deportees were met by representatives from the Office of the National Security Adviser, the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants, and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), among other stakeholders.
The report highlighted that the deportation of these 400 Nigerians follows a similar repatriation of 190 Nigerians from the UAE in July 2024, as previously reported by PUNCH Online.
Diplomatic Background
The deportations come against the backdrop of prolonged diplomatic disputes between Nigeria and the UAE. The tensions began nearly two years ago when the UAE imposed a visa ban on Nigerians, which was linked to broader diplomatic and economic disagreements. One key issue was the halted flights of Dubai’s Emirates Airline due to the Central Bank of Nigeria’s inability to remit approximately $85 million in revenue to the UAE.
In June 2024, following extensive negotiations, the Nigerian government announced that it had made significant progress in addressing the disputes, including the payment of 98 percent of the $850 million owed. The UAE subsequently lifted the visa restrictions on Nigerians in July 2024.
Despite the resolution of some issues, the recent deportation of 400 Nigerians underscores the continuing complexities in the diplomatic relations between the two nations, even as efforts to improve bilateral ties continue.
