By Folorunso Alagbede, Abuja
Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, the Chairman/CEO of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) has revealed that 190 Nigerians were repatriated to Nigeria, with an additional 250 expected to return soon.
The NiDCOM CEO made the statement during a visit to Ambassador Salem Saeed Al-Shamsi, UAE Ambassador to Nigeria, to further strengthen areas of partnership and collaboration mutually beneficial to Nigeria and the UAE.
The visit was on the heels of the lifting of the visa ban by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Nigeria.
Dabiri-Erewa, according to a statement by Gabriel Odu, of the Media, Public Relations and Protocols Unit, stated that NiDCOM intends to engage and sensitize Nigerians in the UAE to be good ambassadors of their country of stay and country of origin, to excel in whatever they are doing and never to forget home.
She said further “this initiative aims to foster better understanding and compliance with local regulations”.
She noted that the actions of individuals in a host country can greatly impact the overall image of their home country.
She also noted the role of Western media imperialism in perpetuating negative stereotypes about Nigerians.
Amb. Salem Saeed Al-Shamsi explained that the visa ban on Nigeria has been officially lifted.
He confirmed that the Visa on Arrival policy has been canceled for all countries, but assured that the new procedures are designed to facilitate tourism and ensure travelers’ safe return.
The Ambassador expressed his commitment to providing the best possible services for Nigerians, with the support of the determined Nigerian government.
He also acknowledged the UAE’s role in safely repatriating 96 Nigerians at no cost.
Marking his one-year anniversary as the UAE Ambassador to Nigeria, Al-Shamsi shared his positive impressions of Nigeria, describing it as a beautiful country with warm-hearted people who share similar cultural, religious, and ethnic backgrounds with the UAE.
He expressed his eagerness to continue collaborating with NiDCOM to strengthen ties between the two countries.
