A United Arab Emirates (UAE) official has refuted the Nigerian government’s claim that the visa ban on Nigerian travelers has been abolished.
According to CNN, a Gulf state official revealed this in a chat.
“There are no changes on the Nigeria/UAE travel status so far,” the source asked not to be named was quoted to have said.
Chief Ajuri Ngelale, the presidential spokesman, stated that the visa prohibition was lifted after President Bola Tinubu met with his UAE counterpart, Sheik Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, on Monday.
Visitodell recalls that President Bola Tinubu traveled from India to the UAE city of Abu Dahbi, where he attended the G-20 Summit.
In a statement issued after the meeting, Ajuri had said, “President Bola Tinubu and President of the United Arab Emirates, Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, on Monday in Abu Dhabi, have finalised a historic agreement, which has resulted in the immediate cessation of the visa ban placed on Nigerian travellers.
“Furthermore, by this historic agreement, both Etihad Airlines and Emirates Airlines are to immediately resume flight schedules into and out of Nigeria, without any further delay.”
However, in a statement made following the meeting, the UAE authorities remained mute on these problems, raising skepticism among Nigerians.
The Middle Eastern country said in a statement that Nigeria and the UAE would work together to strengthen existing ties and explore prospects for future bilateral engagements.
Apparently, in response to the uproar caused by his initial remark, Ngelale stated that authorities from both countries required more time to finalize agreement details, which was a direct contradiction to his prior declaration that the issue had been handled.
“Given the agreement struck between the two Heads of State, there is need to allow cabinet officials from both sides to work out the finer details and finalize the cross-sectoral agreements,” he said, adding that “Everyone can now allow the process to work itself out organically, devoid of speculation.”
When asked about the visa ban and flying resumption during the Aviation Africa Summit on Thursday in Abuja, Festus Keyamo, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, said there was no timetable.
He had said: “So, we are beginning to work out all the tiny details. I have met with Emirate before I left UAE, and we are working out the details. We cannot say the time frame. Kicking off an airline operation again on a route does not mean you will go and grab one empty plane sitting in a place.”
