Nigerian-UAE Diplomatic Spat Escalates As Senate Intervenes

The diplomatic spat between Nigeria and United Arab Emirates continues to escalate over the latter’s insistence that Nigerian travellers be subjected to additional rapid antigen test.

Recall that in February, the Nigerian government had frown on separate treatment of Nigerians by the UAE authority as against Emirate’s stipulated negative PCR test at the Lagos and Abuja airports before departure.

The treatment of Nigerians forced the government to stop the UAE national air carrier from further subjecting Nigerians to such separate treatment.

The development forced the airline to shutdown flights to and from Nigeria.

The airline said the Nigerian aviation authorities did not have the power to subject the airline to its laws concerning emergency COVID-19 protocols.

Despite an interface between the authorities of the aviation ministry and Emirates airline, which resulted in an agreement, the flights resumed but the Emirates airline continued to conduct test for passengers before departure from Nigeria, a development the federal government frowned upon and thus suspended the airline from flying to and from Nigeria.

This development has led to many Nigerians losing their jobs on account of the refusal of the UAE authorities to renew their work permit.

The government of Nigeria is said to be preparing a letter to officially invite the UAE ambassador over the issue with sources telling THE WHISTLER on Tuesday that, the issue is not being taken lightly by the Nigerian government.

The Senate too has waded into the diplomatic row after it resolved to intervene in the disagreements between both countries.

The decision to wade into the dispute was reached sequel to a point of order by the Minority Leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, during plenary.

Abaribe, while relying on Orders 42 and 52 of the Senate Rules recalled that in December 2020, a memorandum of understanding was executed between Nigeria and the UAE to provide a platform for both countries to engage each other bilaterally.

He noted that unfortunately while Nigeria was keeping her part of the bargain the UAE was not.

Abaribe who gave a background of the crisis said, sacking Nigerian citizens from work and refusing to renew their papers “is a calculated attempt to pressure the Nigerian Government into accepting their conditions of service for their national airline that may have lost humongous revenue from the Nigeria route.

“Further worried that if the Nigerian government does not urgently engage the authorities of the UAE, thousands of Nigerians living and working will lose their jobs and means of livelihood hence the need for a quick interface with the authorities of the UAE.”

Accordingly, the upper chamber in a resolution mandated the Senate Committees on Foreign Affairs, Presidential Task Force (PTF) on Covid-19 and National Security and Intelligence and Interior (Immigration Service), respectively, to interface with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and National Intelligence Agency (NIA) on best ways of resolving this crisis and report back to the Senate within 2 weeks.