Abike Dabiri-Erewa
The Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, announced on Wednesday that an additional 250 Nigerians will soon be repatriated from the United Arab Emirates.
This follows the Federal Government’s recent repatriation of 190 Nigerians from the UAE on Tuesday. The returnees were received at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja at 5:57 AM by a combined team of government officials led by the National Emergency Management Agency.
In October 2023, the FG repatriated a total of 542 Nigerians from the UAE. During a visit to the UAE Ambassador to Nigeria, Salem Al-Shamsi, in Abuja, Dabiri-Erewa mentioned that NiDCOM plans to engage and sensitize Nigerians in the UAE to be good ambassadors of both the UAE and Nigeria.
A statement by the commission’s spokesperson, Gabriel Odu, read, “Dabiri-Erewa stated that NiDCOM intends to engage and sensitize Nigerians in the UAE to be good ambassadors of their country of stay and country of origin, to excel in whatever they are doing and never to forget home.” She emphasized that this initiative aims to foster better understanding and compliance with local regulations.
She also disclosed that 190 Nigerians had been repatriated, with an additional 250 expected to return soon. Dabiri-Erewa noted that individuals’ actions in a host country can significantly impact the overall image of their home country. She also highlighted the role of Western media imperialism in perpetuating negative stereotypes about Nigerians.
The UAE Ambassador to Nigeria stated that his country’s visa-on-arrival policy was canceled not only for Nigeria but for all countries. The statement added, “Al-Shamsi explained that the visa ban on Nigeria has been officially lifted. He confirmed that the Visa on Arrival policy has been canceled for all countries, but assured that the new procedures are designed to facilitate tourism and ensure travelers’ safe return.
The Ambassador expressed his commitment to providing the best possible services for Nigerians, with the support of the determined Nigerian government. He also acknowledged the UAE’s role in safely repatriating 96 Nigerians at no cost.
Marking his first anniversary as the UAE Ambassador to Nigeria, Al-Shamsi shared his positive impressions of Nigeria, describing it as a beautiful country with warm-hearted people who share similar cultural, religious, and ethnic backgrounds with the UAE. He expressed his eagerness to continue collaborating with NiDCOM to strengthen ties between the two countries.
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