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Tag: UAE

  • FG, UAE to partner Humanitarian and Poverty Alleviation Support Programmes

    FG, UAE to partner Humanitarian and Poverty Alleviation Support Programmes

    By Joyce Remi-Babayeju

    The United Arab Emirates has indicated readiness to support Nigerian Government’s efforts at reducing the humanitarian crises as well as eradicate poverty in Nigeria by 2030, which is in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

    UAE’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Salem Saeed Al- Shamsi made this known when the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Betta Edu paid him a visit in his office.

    The Envoy who described Nigeria”my country” said that he is very committed to Nigeria because he is representing the United Arab Emirates and Nigeria.

    He said,” Nigerians are the nicest people I have ever met”
    He promised to convey the request to support the federal government initiative in tackling hunger, poverty, and humanitarian challenges facing the country to the necessary authorities, assuring that the partnership will work.”

    Al- Shamsi used the visit to invite Edu to attend the UN Climate Change Cop 28 to be hosted by the Government of the UAE, as he said that the meeting will bring together world leaders committed to tackle issue around climate change which has led to natural disasters and exposed many to humanitarian crises and poverty.

    The Minister explained that her visit to the Ambassador was a follow-up to the discussion had with the UAE Government at the UNGA meeting.

    She noted that the Nigeria – UAE bilateral cooperation has made the two countries recognize their areas of common comparative advantages.

    According to the Minister, climate change is one of the factors responsible for the humanitarian and poverty crisis in Nigeria, culminating in floods, drying up of the lake chad basin and other natural disasters associated with climate change, adding that many Nigerians have been displaced and have lost their source of livelihood resulting in humanitarian crises and pFG, UAE to partner Humanitarian and Poverty Alleviation Support Programmes

    By Joyce Remi-Babayeju

    The United Arab Emirates has indicated readiness to support Nigerian Government’s efforts at reducing the humanitarian crises as well as eradicate poverty in Nigeria by 2030, which is in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

    UAE’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Salem Saeed Al- Shamsi made this known when the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Betta Edu paid him a visit in his office.

    The Envoy who described Nigeria”my country” said that he is very committed to Nigeria because he is representing the United Arab Emirates and Nigeria.

    He said,” Nigerians are the nicest people I have ever met”
    He promised to convey the request to support the federal government initiative in tackling hunger, poverty, and humanitarian challenges facing the country to the necessary authorities, assuring that the partnership will work.”

    Al- Shamsi used the visit to invite Edu to attend the UN Climate Change Cop 28 to be hosted by the Government of the UAE, as he said that the meeting will bring together world leaders committed to tackle issue around climate change which has led to natural disasters and exposed many to humanitarian crises and poverty.

    The Minister explained that her visit to the Ambassador was a follow-up to the discussion had with the UAE Government at the UNGA meeting.

    She noted that the Nigeria – UAE bilateral cooperation has made the two countries recognize their areas of common comparative advantages.

    According to the Minister, climate change is one of the factors responsible for the humanitarian and poverty crisis in Nigeria, culminating in floods, drying up of the lake chad basin and other natural disasters associated with climate change, adding that many Nigerians have been displaced and have lost their source of livelihood resulting in humanitarian crises and poverty.

    Edu assured the Ambassador that she would be part of President Bola Tinubu’s team to attend the Cop 28 which will be the 28th United Nations Climate Change conference.

    “Climate change is one of the factors responsible for Humanitarian Crises and multiculti-dimensionality poverty in Nigeria. This is evident from temperature increase, rainfall variability, drought, desertification, rising sea levels, erosion, floods, thunderstorms, bushfires, landslides, land degradation, more frequent, extreme weather conditions, and loss of biodiversity as well as drying of the Lake chad basin by climate change”, she said

    All these factors according to Dr. Edu, stressed continue to negatively affect on the population, as she disclosed that President Tinubu is committed to addressing this and the UAE should support.overty.

    Edu assured the Ambassador that she would be part of President Bola Tinubu’s team to attend the Cop 28 which will be the 28th United Nations Climate Change conference.

    “Climate change is one of the factors responsible for Humanitarian Crises and multiculti-dimensionality poverty in Nigeria. This is evident from temperature increase, rainfall variability, drought, desertification, rising sea levels, erosion, floods, thunderstorms, bushfires, landslides, land degradation, more frequent, extreme weather conditions, and loss of biodiversity as well as drying of the Lake chad basin by climate change”, she said

    All these factors according to Dr. Edu, stressed continue to negatively affect on the population, as she disclosed that President Tinubu is committed to addressing this and the UAE should support.

  • Court orders forfeiture of 14 Properties of Kogi govt in Lagos, Abuja, UAE

    Court orders forfeiture of 14 Properties of Kogi govt in Lagos, Abuja, UAE

    Justice Nicholas Oweibo of the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Wednesday, granted an interim forfeiture of 14 properties in Lagos, Abuja and the United Arab Emirates, UAE, linked to the Kogi State Government.

    The judge also ordered the preservation of the sum of N400,000,000 recovered from one Aminu Falala.

    The money “is reasonably suspected to have been derived from unlawful activity and intended to be used for the acquisition of Plot No. 1224 Bishop Oluwole Street, Victoria Island Lagos.”

    Justice Oweibo granted the order following an ex parte application filed by the Lagos Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

    The application was supported by an affidavit deposed to by Adekunbi Mojibola, an investigating officer with the EFCC.

    EFCC counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, said the properties, including “Hotel Apartment Community, Burj Khalifa at Plot 160 Municipality NO 345-7562, Sky View Building No 1, Property No 401, Floor 4, Dubai U.A.E.”, were reasonably suspected to have been derived from unlawful activity.

    Justice Oweibo granted the application and directed the commission to publish the interim order within 14 days for any interested party to show cause why the forfeiture order should not be made in favour of the Federal Government of Nigeria.

    The case was adjourned till March 28, 2023.

  • Why Nigerians 539 Were Stranded In UAE – NEMA

    Why Nigerians 539 Were Stranded In UAE – NEMA

    The National Emergency Management Agency has said most of the Nigerians who were evacuated to the country after being stranded in the United Arab Emirates complained of not being able to get a work permit because of a new policy by the government of the Middle East country.

    Reports have it that 542 Nigerians were evacuated from the UAE and arrived at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja on Sunday.

    According to NEMA, the evacuees who returned on board Max Air flight consisted of 79 males, 460 females and three infants.

    Speaking to our correspondent, the Head of the Media Unit, NEMA, Manzo Ekeziel, said plans were in place to see the return of more Nigerians stranded in the UAE.

    He said, “The Federal Government received communication and decided to support them back to the country. I don’t know if there’s any diplomatic row or not.

    He continued, “There are some of them that could not come in today but arrangement is on for them to be transported, maybe tomorrow. I’m not sure of the total number of those still left behind.

    “One of the evacuees, Blessing Okorie, from Ebonyi State, interacted with, blamed a new visa policy; and that they could not get a work permit.

    “She said she travelled to that country with valid papers but after some time, according to her, the government of the UAE came up with a new visa policy that made her unable to get a work permit. Because of that, she was sacked from where she was working and, according to her, she had to hustle.”

  • UAE Imposes Visa Ban on Nigerians

    UAE Imposes Visa Ban on Nigerians

    United Arab Emirates Immigration authorities have imposed a visa ban on Nigerians and are now rejecting visa applications.

    This was conveyed in a notice issued to UAE’s trade partners in Nigeria including travel agencies on Friday October 21.

    No reason was given for the visa ban, but the United Arab Emirates Immigration authorities said all applications are on-hold until issues between the UAE government and the Nigerian government are resolved.

    It read;

    “All Dubai applications submitted are now rejected. It is general for Nigerians and approvals are on hold at the moment.

    “Kindly advise your clients to resubmit C2=A0 applications when the issue is resolved between both governments.”

    Punch reported that a source at travel agency, Wakanow confirmed the development. The source said;

    “It is true, it was issued yesterday. The Dubai immigration did not state when the ban would be lifted but for now, everything is on hold.”

    A customer representative from Air Peace, however said the airline is still flying to Dubai with those who already have a valid visa. The representative added that if any changes were to occur as regards flight for Nigerians, it would be duly communicated.

  • UAE Relaxes Entry Ban On Nigerian Travellers From Saturday

    UAE Relaxes Entry Ban On Nigerian Travellers From Saturday

    The United Arab Emirates (UAE) will resume passenger flights from Nigeria and 11 other African countries on Saturday, January 29.

    UAE’s National Crisis and Emergency Management Authority (NCEMA) announced this in a tweet on Wednesday.

    “From January 29, entry into the UAE for arrivals from Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Nigeria, the Republic of the Congo, the Republic of South Africa, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, and Zimbabwe is allowed again,” the tweet read.

    The country’s agency said entry procedures have been updated for flights originating from Ghana, Rwanda, and Uganda.

    According to the statement, passengers arriving from these three countries to the UAE must have a negative COVID-19 test obtained within 48 hours of departure from the approved labs in their respective countries.

    It added that passengers must undergo a Rapid PCR test at the airports of departure. On arrival in the UAE, they will be subjected to another PCR test, asking residents of African countries to refrain from travelling to the country if they have COVID-19 symptoms.

  • UAE bars Nigerian athletes from partaking in world swimming championships

    UAE bars Nigerian athletes from partaking in world swimming championships

    The United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Thursday reportedly barred Nigerian athletes from participating in the 15th FINA World Swimming Championships in Dubai.

    According to PUNCH, the athletes and their representatives claimed they were denied access to take part in the competition on the order of UAE authorities.

    The athletes also alleged that they had arrived in Dubai to participate in the event but were disallowed from representing their country even though they did not travel from Nigeria.

    “On sighting our Nigerian passports, the UAE officials treated us with disdain,” a female athlete was quoted to have said.

    It is understood that the development had forced some of the athletes to withdraw from the competition.

    Some of the athletes also claimed they were denied access to see their Nigerian officials.

    “The officials were not even allowed to leave their hotel rooms and competition started yesterday,” another athlete said.

    One of the Nigerian officials also said: “It is probably important we inform the Nigerian media of the treatment being faced by the Nigerian Swimming Team here in Abu Dhabi (UAE) at the ongoing FINA Short Course World Championships.

    “Essentially, the whole team has been forced to withdraw from the competition, despite being vaccinated, doing multiple PCR tests, and not departing from Nigeria.

    “The reason for the team being withdrawn was because one of the coaches tested positive for COVID-19, yet the officials, local government and FINA all collectively decided to remove everyone in the team from the competition, deeming them as close contacts.

    “In one case, one Nigerian swimmer travelled from the USA just yesterday morning, was fully vaccinated, had all the required tests, didn’t even have any contact with the coach that tested positive, yet he was not allowed to compete.

    “For Habibat Abiola, she came from Russia, didn’t have contact with this coach, but again, can’t compete

    “So, all these Nigerians travelling from different places around the world, being denied the opportunity to represent Nigeria here in UAE.

    “I can assure you, if they were Europeans or Americans, they would definitely allow them to compete.”

    The development comes amid the lingering diplomatic row between Nigeria and the UAE.

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    It remains to be seen if the “incident” is connected to the issue between both nations.

    The organisers of the 2021 FINA and the ministry of youth and sports development are yet to speak on the matter as of the time of this report.

    The Nigeria Aquatics Federation previously known as the Nigeria Swimming Federation could also not be reached for comments as the board of the federation had been dissolved.

  • UAE allocates 6 slots to Air Peace in Dubai, Sharjah airports

    UAE allocates 6 slots to Air Peace in Dubai, Sharjah airports

    The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has finally conceded six slots to Air Peace, both at the Dubai and Sharjah airports, TheCable understands.

    The move was part of the resolution to the diplomatic row between the two nations.

    James Odaudu, director, public affairs, ministry of aviation, told TheCable on Tuesday.

    Earlier, news reports have quoted a letter from the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA) allocating some blocks to Air Peace.

    According to the letter, slots locked for Air Peace are A0540LT, D0800LT — All days, and A0510LT D0800LT — without day 6, but TheCable could not independently verify this.

    Odaudu, however, said the UAE aviation authorities allocated six slots to the Nigerian carrier as part of the diplomatic resolution.

    “It is confirmed. That was part of the resolution,” he said.

    “They have approved six slots for Air Peace flightd. Both in Dubai and Sharjah airports.”

    Air Peace had requested a slot of three weekly flights from Nigeria to Sharjah Airport in UAE, but only one was granted.

    The UAE’s GCAA blamed the airline for pulling out of Sharjah Airport and “so should not expect to retain its flight frequency there” — a claim Air Peace has denied.

    In retaliation to the UAE’s treatment of Air Peace, the federal government cut Emirate’s slots from 21 to just one, causing Emirates to pull out of the Nigerian route indefinitely.

    On Monday, Hadi Sirika, minister of aviation, said there are ongoing talks with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to resolve the fresh diplomatic row.

  • ‘We never left Sharjah Airport’ — Air Peace denies UAE’s claim

    ‘We never left Sharjah Airport’ — Air Peace denies UAE’s claim

    Air Peace says claims by aviation authorities in the United Arab Emirates on why the country denied its flight slots are untrue.

    In a letter addressed to Hadi Sirika, minister of aviation, on Saturday, Oluwatoyin Olajide, chief operating officer, Air Peace, described claims by UAE as false and deliberate attempts to damage the airline’s perception in the eyes of the public.

    The airline, however, requested the UAE aviation authority to retract the statement and tender an apology.

    On Saturday, TheCable reported how the UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority blamed Air Peace for pulling out of Sharjah Airport and “so should not expect to retain its flight frequency there”.

    Earlier, the federal government had cut Emirate’s slots from 21 to one in retaliation to the UAE’s treatment of Air Peace. The move made the Dubai-based Emirates suspend all its flights to Abuja and Lagos.

    “We do not see what wrong Air Peace has done in this whole saga. We are the ones being wronged, and now we are being attacked from a quarter we least expected,” Air Peace said.

    “Air Peace has only operated flights into Sharjah Airport alone. The letter went further to deliberately damage our perception in the eyes of the unsuspecting public by stating ‘it would be unreasonable for an airline to expect any airport to maintain their slots when they ceased operating at that airport’!

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    “We did several evacuation flights out of Sharjah. So, we never left Sharjah Airport nor did we at any time ‘shifted’ and operated out of DXB (Dubai Airport). The letter deliberately painted us as unserious while at the same time suggesting that we look for other airports in the country to operate from.

    “We do not want to join issues in the public space with them as it is unhelpful to both countries. To this end therefore and, for the fact that this falsehood contained in the said letter has painted us in a bad light and gone viral.

    “Even though the UAE Minister of Economy may have been misinformed by his aides, we, still, and humbly demand a retraction of the offending accusation of “stopping, shifting and returning” and an unreserved apology tendered to Air Peace.”

  • Senate, Reps Intervene In Nigeria, UAE Diplomatic Row

    Senate, Reps Intervene In Nigeria, UAE Diplomatic Row

    The Senate and House of Representatives have intervened in the diplomatic row between Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

    According to them, this is having a negative impact on Nigerians amid the work permit restriction and other challenges they face in the Arabian country.

    The matter formed one of the major subjects of deliberation during Tuesday’s plenary at both chambers of the National Assembly in Abuja.

    In its resolution, the Senate mandated its Committees on Foreign Affairs, Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19, National Security, as well as Intelligence and Interior respectively, to interface with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and National Intelligence Agency (NIA) on best ways of resolving the dispute and report back to the lawmakers within two weeks.

    The House of Representatives, on its part, set up an ad-hoc committee to liaise with relevant government agencies and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs over the treatment of Nigerians by the UAE authorities.

    Calling the attention of his colleagues to the matter in the red chamber, Senate Minority Leader, Enyinnaya Abaribe, said a memorandum of understanding was signed between Nigeria and the UAE in December 2020, to provide a platform for both countries to engage each other bilaterally.

    He noted that in February 2021, the Federal Government stopped the UAE national carrier – Emirates Airline from subjecting Nigerian travellers to additional rapid antigen tests, as against its stipulated negative PCR test at the Lagos and Abuja airports before departure.

    According to Senator Abaribe, the airline then shut down flights to and from Nigeria as a result of the disagreement with Nigerian aviation authorities on the propriety of subjecting passengers travelling from the country to emergency COVID-19 protocols.

    He explained that after an interface between the authorities of the Ministry of Aviation and Emirates Airline, flights resumed.

    The lawmaker stated that the airline continued to conduct tests for passengers before departure from Nigeria, an action with the Federal Government frowned at and suspended the airline from flying to and from the country.

    He decried the effect of the situation on hundreds of legal resident Nigerians living in the UAE, saying some of them were already losing their jobs on account of the refusal of the authorities to renew their work permit.

    This, Senator Abaribe said, offends the letters of bilateral agreements to which both nations are signatory.

    He warned that if the Nigerian government does not urgently engage the UAE authorities, thousands of Nigerians living and working in the Arabian country would lose their jobs and means of livelihood.

    In the green chamber, the House Minority Leader, Ndudi Elumelu, who moved the motion drew the attention of the lawmakers to the ban on work permit for Nigerians among others by the UAE.

    The ad-hoc committee set up by the lawmakers was directed to find out the underlying causes of the poor treatment of Nigerians living in the Arabian country.

  • UAE names Nigerians among sponsors of Terrorism

    UAE names Nigerians among sponsors of Terrorism

    The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has listed six Nigerians as financiers of Boko Haram and terror activities.

    State-run WAM news agency reports that the information was released at the country’s federal cabinet meeting in Abu Dhabi on Monday.

    The Nigerians are Abdurrahaman Ado Musa, Salihu Yusuf Adamu, Bashir Ali Yusuf, Muhammed Ibrahim Isa, Ibrahim Ali Alhassan and Surajo Abubakar Muhammad.

    They were prosecuted in 2020 for wiring funds to Boko Haram.

    The full list of 53 individuals and entities indicted include:

    1. Ahmed Abdulla Mohammed Alshaiba Alnuaimi (UAE)

    2. Mohamed Saqer Yousif Saqer Al Zaabi (UAE)

    3. Hamad Mohammed Rahmah Humaid Alshamsi (UAE)

    4. Saeed Naser Saeed Naser Alteneiji (UAE)

    5. Hassan Hussain Tabaja (Lebanon)

    6. Adham Hussain Tabaja (Lebanon)

    7. Mohammed Ahmed Musaed Saeed (Yemen)

    8. Hayder Habeeb Ali (Iraq)

    9. Basim Yousuf Hussein Alshaghanbi (Iraq)

    10. Sharif Ahmed Sharif Ba Alawi (Yemen)

    11. Manoj Sabharwal Om Prakash (India)

    12. Rashed Saleh Saleh Al Jarmouzi (Yemen)

    13. Naif Nasser Saleh Aljarmouzi (Yemen)

    14. Zubiullah Abdul Qahir Durani (Afghanistan)

    15. Suliman Saleh Salem Aboulan (Yemen)

    16. Adel Ahmed Salem Obaid Ali Badrah (Yemen)

    17. Ali Nasser Alaseeri (Saudi Arabia)

    18. Fadhl Saleh Salem Altayabi (Yemen)

    19. Ashur Omar Ashur Obaidoon (Yemen)

    20. Hazem Mohsen Al Farhan (Syria)

    21. Mehdi Azizollah Kiasati (Iran)

    22. Farshad Jafar Hakemzadeh (Iran)

    23. Seyyed Reza Mohmmad Ghasemi (Iran)

    24. Mohsen Hassan Kargarhodjat Abadi (Iran)

    25. Ibrahim Mahmood Ahmed Mohammed (Iran)

    26. Osama Housen Dughaem (Syria)

    27. Abdurrahaman Ado Musa (Nigeria)

    28. Salihu Yusuf Adamu (Nigeria)

    29. Bashir Ali Yusuf (Nigeria)

    30. Muhammed Ibrahim Isa (Nigeria)

    31. Ibrahim Ali Alhassan (Nigeria)

    32. Surajo Abubakar Muhammad (Nigeria)

    33. Alaa Abdulrazzaq Ali Khanfurah (Syria)

    34. Fadi Said Kamar (Great Britain)

    35. Walid Kamel Awad (Saint Kitts and Nevis)

    36. Khaled Walid Awad (Saint Kitts and Nevis)

    37. Imad Khallak Kantakdzhi (Russia)

    38. Mouhammad Ayman Tayseer Rashid Marayat (Jordan)

    39. Ray Tracing Trading Co LLC

    40. H F Z A Arzoo International FZE

    41. Hanan Shipping LLC

    42. Four Corners Trading Est

    43. Sasco Logistic LLC

    44. AlJarmouzi General Trading LLC

    45. Al Jarmoozi Cargo & Clearing LLC

    46. Al Jarmoozi Transport By Heavy & Light Trucks LLC

    47. Naser Aljarmouzi General Trading LLC

    48. Naser Aljarmouzi Cargo & Clearing LLC

    49. Wave Tech Computer LLC

    50. NYBI Trading FZE

    51. KCL General Trading FZE

    52. Alinma Group

    53. Al-Omgy & Bros Money Exchange