FG Provides Emergency Contacts For Nigerians Amid Middle East Crisis

The Nigerian government has released emergency contact details for its diplomatic missions across the Middle East to assist citizens affected by the ongoing conflict in the region.

The advisory was issued in Abuja by the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nigeria and signed by its spokesperson, Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa.

According to the ministry, the emergency contacts were provided to enable Nigerians living in or travelling across the Middle East to quickly reach diplomatic missions for assistance as tensions escalate in the conflict involving Iran, Israel and the United States.

The ministry stated that the contact list covers Nigerian diplomatic missions in 10 countries across the region affected by the ongoing hostilities.

“Further to established communication channels publicised by the various Nigerian missions in the Middle East region, Nigerian citizens affected by the ongoing crisis should contact the following mobile numbers in case of emergency and also ensure that they are registered with the respective embassy or consulate in their country of residence,” the statement said.

The ministry listed the emergency contacts for Nigerian diplomatic missions as follows:
• Embassy of Nigeria, Tehran, Iran: +98 937 685 1897, +98 933 951 5348, +98 930 972 9965, +234 906 768 4063
• Embassy of Nigeria, Tel Aviv, Israel: +972 547 115279, +234 706 4263944
• Embassy of Nigeria, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates: +971 56 884 4130
• Consulate-General of Nigeria, Dubai, United Arab Emirates: +971 56 377 8678
• Embassy of Nigeria in Kuwait (covers Bahrain): +965 9789 5737, +965 9950 9288
• Embassy of Nigeria, Doha, Qatar: +974 3019 7102, +974 3019 7261
• Embassy of Nigeria, Beirut, Lebanon: +961 78 861 779, +234 803 8954425
• Embassy of Nigeria, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: +966 542149456, +966 565695763
• Consulate-General of Nigeria, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia: +966 56 096 5633
• Embassy of Nigeria, Amman, Jordan (covers Iraq): +962 777 369428, +962 776 594020

Earlier, the Nigerian government had issued an advisory to citizens living in or visiting Iran and other Gulf countries following the escalation of the conflict.

Authorities urged Nigerians to maintain communication with relevant diplomatic missions to ensure their safety.

“Establish Communication with Relevant Embassies: The Nigerian Embassy in Tehran and missions in neighbouring Gulf countries such as Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia are on high alert to provide necessary consular assistance and facilitate communication,” the advisory stated.

Meanwhile, the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission had earlier dismissed claims circulating online that Nigerians in Iran had not issued distress calls despite the escalating crisis.

The clarification was contained in a statement issued in Abuja and signed by the commission’s Director of Media, Public Relations and Protocols, Abdur-Rahman Balogun.

The conflict escalated after joint airstrikes by Israel and the United States reportedly killed Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, triggering wider tensions across the region.

Since then, the crisis has spread beyond Iran and Israel, with Tehran launching attacks on US-linked assets and strategic interests across the Middle East and Gulf countries.

The situation has raised concerns for Nigerians living in the region. Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, disclosed that about 12,000 Nigerians currently reside in the United Arab Emirates.

The Middle East is also a major pilgrimage destination for Nigerians, with Christian pilgrims frequently visiting Israel and Muslim pilgrims travelling to Saudi Arabia for religious rites.

However, earlier this month, Nigerian authorities suspended all pilgrimages to Israel and the occupied West Bank with immediate effect due to security concerns linked to the escalating conflict in the region.