A total of 400 Nigerians have been deported from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and arrived in Nigeria, according to a report by the Nigerian Television Authority. The deportees, including 90 females and 310 males, were received at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja by officials from the Office of the National Security Adviser and other key agencies, such as the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants, and Internally Displaced Persons, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).
This mass deportation follows the repatriation of 190 Nigerians from the UAE in July 2024. It highlights ongoing diplomatic tensions between Nigeria and the UAE, which began nearly two years ago when the UAE imposed a visa ban on Nigerians. The visa restrictions were partly linked to unresolved disputes, including the Central Bank of Nigeria’s inability to remit $850 million owed to Emirates Airlines. This led to the airline suspending flights to Nigeria.
Despite a series of negotiations, the tension between the two countries persists. In June, Nigerian authorities indicated that the visa ban would soon be lifted after confirming that 98% of the $850 million debt had been settled. However, the deportations signal that underlying issues remain unresolved, even as the UAE announced in July 2024 that it had lifted visa restrictions on Nigerians.
The Nigerian government continues to emphasize its commitment to the welfare of its citizens abroad, ensuring a coordinated response to the arrival of deportees. The situation underscores the need for sustained diplomatic efforts to fully normalize relations between the two nations.
