Abdur-Rahman Balogun, the head of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM)‘s media, told FIJ that the conflict in Lebanon has not got to the stage it needs to help Nigerians flee on Thursday.
“We have not reached that stage yet,” Balogun told FIJ when asked about NiDCOM’s plans to help evacuate Nigerians who may not have the resources to leave the conflict region.
“When we get to that stage, we will cross it.”
NiDCOM issued a press release on Wednesday advising Nigerians living in Lebanon to leave the country while they still can.
The warning from the commission came just as Israel intensified its ground attack against Hezbollah, a Lebanese Shia Islamist political party and militant group, on Tuesday, leaving at least 95 people dead.
Countries like Australia, Britain, Bulgaria, Canada, Cyprus, France, Germany, Japan, The Philippines and Portugal have since launched evacuation plans for their citizens when the crisis between Israel and Hezbollah escalated on Tuesday.
FIJ sought to find what NiDCOM knew about Nigerians in Israel, Gaza, the West Bank and Iran, and evacuation plans for Nigerians in the Middle East.
A thorough review of NiDCOM’s statement by FIJ showed that the commission failed to issue a warning or alert to Nigerians who might be residing in Iran and Israel, two countries that happen to be major players in the ongoing conflict.
The statement did not show the commission’s willingness to support Nigerians residing in these conflict-ridden countries who might not have the means or resources to flee for safety on their own.
The alert from NiDCOM only told Nigerians caught up in the conflict to leave. For those who do not have the wherewithal to leave, they should whenever they have the means.
FIJ could not immediately reach Abike Dabiri-Erewa, NiDCOM Chairman, on Wednesday. She did not answer phone calls from FIJ.
On Thursday morning, FIJ phoned Abdur-Rahman Balogun, NiDCOM’s Director of Media, Public Relations and Protocols Unit, to ask if the commission planned to issue an alert to Nigerians living in Iran and Israel as well.
“They have been alerted before now,” Balogun said, referring to Nigerians residing in Israel and Iran.
“This one just happened (the recent attack from Israel) that’s why we just (sic)… you know, before, there was no attack on Lebanon before now. We have alerted those ones (Nigerians in Israel and Iran) before now.”
FIJ then asked Balogun if the commission had plans to evacuate Nigerians who may not have the resources to leave Lebanon on their own.
“We have not reached that stage yet,” said Balogun.
“When we get to that stage, we will cross it.”
Contrary to Balogun’s claim, however, checks by FIJ showed NiDCOM issued no alert to Nigerians residing in both Israel and Iran in recent times.
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