Some stranded Nigerians in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, have called on the Federal Government to come to their aid, following the mass deportation in the Emirates.
According to Sahara Reporters, several viral videos show that hundreds of people presumably Nigerians and other foreign nationals were seen sitting in an open area with their bags and luggage.
Some of them could be heard groaning over their current situation.
In one of the videos, a lady was lamenting that Nigerians are not being represented in the process.
Narrating their ordeal, the lady questioned if there is a functional embassy or active ambassador in the country.
According to her, some of the people who registered for the mass deportation exercise with a valid passport were granted a pass by Dubai authorities but they are still waiting for flights that will convey them back to Nigeria.
She added that those without valid passports are waiting for a temporary pass from the embassy which seems not to be working.
She said, “Nigerians in diaspora especially those in UAE, do we still have Embassy in this country? Do we still have Ambassador in this country because I don’t understand what is happening. When there are issues that our embassy or our ambassador need to show face, need to react we no dey see face, where they supposed to show body they no dey(sic).
“They man still dey alive make we know. Right now I dey talk to una I dey verse. People way go for this deportation, most of them way dey Alawa camp now. People way get their passport for hand now immigration don give them pass now they dey wait when flight will come make them move…(sic)”
Meanwhile, the Chairman /Chief Executive Officer, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, while reacting to the viral video, said that the Nigerian Consulate in Dubai had commenced profiling of some stranded Nigerians at a holding centre.
The NiDCOM Boss stated in a statement, noting that once the profiling process was done, the consulate and Embassy would brief the Minister of Foreign Affairs and necessary actions would be taken on the next steps.
According to her, “some of them have passports, some of them don’t have passports, some children in the centres have no names, some actually don’t have any form of identification.
“Some don’t even remember the names with which they used to enter the country originally. Some may also have allegedly committed crimes and may be trying to escape hence the profiling is very necessary.”
