An official of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has cast doubts on the Nigerian government’s assertion that it has lifted the visa ban previously imposed on Nigerian travellers, thereby adding to a growing controversy.
The UAE official, who requested anonymity, contradicted the Nigerian government’s claim, stating,
- “There are no changes on the Nigeria/UAE travel status so far.”
This conflicting information comes after Presidential spokesman, Chief Ajuri Ngelale announced that the visa ban was lifted following a meeting between President Bola Tinubu and Sheik Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Tinubu’s UAE counterpart.
The meeting took place during Tinubu’s visit to Abu Dhabi, the UAE capital, after attending the G-20 Summit in India.
In a statement issued after the meeting, Ngelale declared,
- “President Bola Tinubu and President of the United Arab Emirates, Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, on Monday in Abu Dhabi, have finalized a historic agreement, which has resulted in the immediate cessation of the visa ban placed on Nigerian travellers.”
He further announced that both Etihad Airlines and Emirates Airlines were to resume flight schedules into and out of Nigeria without delay.
However, the UAE authorities did not address these issues in their statement after the meeting, causing uncertainty among Nigerians.
The UAE’s statement focused on the commitment of both countries to strengthen their ties and explore opportunities for further bilateral collaborations.
In response to the growing controversy, Ngelale later stated that officials from both countries needed more time to finalize agreement details, contradicting his initial statement that the issue had been resolved.
He emphasized the need to allow cabinet officials from both sides to work out the finer details and finalize cross-sectoral agreements.
Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, provided further insight during the Aviation Africa Summit in Abuja, noting that there was no specific timeframe for the resumption of flights.
- “So, we are beginning to work out all the tiny details. I met with the Emirate before I left UAE, and we are working out the details. We cannot say the timeframe. Kicking off an airline operation again on a route does not mean you will go and grab one empty plane sitting in a place,” Keyamo explained.
As the conflicting statements continue to raise questions, the status of the visa ban and the resumption of flights between Nigeria and the UAE remains uncertain, leaving travellers in suspense.
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