Stranded Nigerians in underground shelters across Israel and Iran have sent desperate cries for help as the Israel-Iran war continues to escalate.
It was gathered that the escalating violence, marked by missile barrages and airstrikes, has left thousands of foreign nationals, including Nigerians, trapped in a perilous situation, with many claiming their cries for help have gone unanswered by those meant to protect them.
In a viral video, one of the affected Nigerian citizens was seen standing outside what seems to be the Nigerian Embassy in Tehran, expressing his disappointment and fear over the alleged conduct of the diplomatic staff of the Nigerian Embassy in Tehran.
He said: “We are Nigerians, we just came to the Nigerian Embassy here in Tehran in respect to the situation as it has been informed that all residents of Tehran should be evacuated.
“And we came to the Nigerian embassy here, at least to see the staff or the ambassador, these are Nigerians also. Some of them have just left. You can see nobody at the Embassy to attend to us. We cannot see the staff or the Ambassador…”
Also, another Nigerian in Israel who spoke with the press said that since the air strikes began, members of the Nigerian community in the city had joined other foreigners to take cover in underground shelters provided by the Israeli military, pending an opportunity to escape the country.
The Nigerian said: “We are in an Israeli bomb shelter and I can’t answer calls right now.”
This development comes after the Federal Government announced that it has finalized emergency evacuation plans for Nigerian citizens stranded in Israel and Iran following the recent escalation of hostilities between the two nations.
According to a statement released by the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, Nigerian embassies in Tel Aviv and Tehran were advised to actively reach out to affected citizens and coordinate efforts to ensure their safe return to Nigeria.
In the statement, the Ministry also advised Nigerians in the affected regions to strictly adhere to local security protocols and contact the nearest Nigerian Embassy or Mission for registration and further instructions.
However, with reports emerging on Saturday, it appears the plans of the Federal Government have yet to be implemented.
Meanwhile, since the escalation of the Israel-Iran War, several countries have begun to evacuate their nationals from both countries.
The evacuation was necessary after airspace closures and missile fire had made civilian travel dangerous or impossible.
Pan-Atlantic Kompass reports that no fewer than 12 countries, including the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Germany, Greece, and Bulgaria, have contacted their citizens in the warring nations and repatriated hundreds by air, sea, and road.
