As the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah intensifies, Nigerian citizens in Lebanon have disputed claims made by the Federal Government regarding the number of Nigerians seeking evacuation from the war-torn country. While the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that 500 Nigerians had registered for evacuation, the Nigerian community in Lebanon insists that the actual number is much lower.
In a statement issued over the weekend, Ambassador Eche Abu-Obe, spokesperson for the Ministry, said, “Presently, about 500 Nigerians have registered with the mission; however, there are more than 2,000 Nigerian citizens residing in the country. Even though most of them have not indicated a willingness to return home despite persuasion by our embassy, we will continue to do everything to ensure the safety of our citizens.”
However, the President of the Nigerian Community in Lebanon, Mr. Roland Aigbovbiosa, refuted the government’s figures describing the claim as “very untrue and incorrect.” According to Aigbovbiosa, the 500 Nigerians referenced by the Ministry had only been profiled for documentation purposes, not for evacuation.
“There are no 500 Nigerians registered for evacuation here,” Aigbovbiosa said. “Out of over 2,000 Nigerians in Lebanon, only around 500 have registered with the embassy for general profiling, a process that began long before the current crisis. As of today, only 30 have actually signed up for evacuation.”
The confusion appears to stem from a long-standing effort by the Nigerian Embassy in Beirut to document Nigerian nationals residing in Lebanon. This initiative, which has been ongoing for over two years, was designed to provide legal documentation to those without official papers, and is unrelated to the current evacuation efforts.
The Federal Government’s push for evacuation came last Tuesday, with a call for Nigerians in Lebanon to reach out to the Nigerian mission for assistance. A post from the Special Assistant to the President on Social Media, Dada Olusegun, urged citizens to contact the embassy for “profiling, documentation, and subsequent evacuation.”
Yet, as the violence worsens, the number of Nigerians seeking to leave Lebanon remains modest, with only 30 registered as of Monday, according to Aigbovbiosa. He expects that more will come forward as the situation becomes more dangerous. “Many Nigerians are feeling frightened and considering returning home,” he added.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs later confirmed that the official count of those registered for evacuation stands at around 40, acknowledging the growing concern among Nigerian nationals in Lebanon as the conflict escalates.