Nigeria Begins Evacuating Citizens From Iran As War Intensifies
Nigeria Launches Evacuation Operation
THE Nigerian government has begun evacuating its citizens from Iran as hostilities between Israel and United States forces on one side and Iran on the other continue to escalate.
The evacuation process, which started this week, involves Nigerian diplomatic officials escorting citizens willing to leave Iran across the land border into Armenia.
Chairperson of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, confirmed the development in a statement shared online on Tuesday.
According to her, officials of the Nigerian embassy in Tehran are coordinating the evacuation effort and ensuring that Nigerians seeking to leave the conflict zone are transported safely to the border.
“Willing Nigerians are being escorted across the Armenian border by officials of the Nigerian embassy in Iran for safe passage,” Dabiri-Erewa said.
She added that government representatives are already stationed at the border to receive the evacuees and assist them with onward travel arrangements.
No Nigerian Casualties Reported
Dabiri-Erewa stated that, as of the time of the evacuation announcement, no Nigerian citizen in Iran had been reported killed or injured in the ongoing conflict.
However, she did not disclose the number of Nigerians currently residing in Iran or how many had already crossed the border since the evacuation exercise began.
The evacuation comes amid growing concern over the safety of foreign nationals as fighting intensifies across several parts of the region.
Officials said the Nigerian government is closely monitoring the situation while continuing to coordinate with diplomatic missions and international partners to ensure the safety of its citizens abroad.
Rising Casualties in the Region
The evacuation effort comes 11 days after the outbreak of hostilities that have resulted in significant casualties across the Middle East.
According to figures released by the Iranian Ministry of Health, more than 1,300 people have been killed in Iran following aerial strikes by Israeli and United States forces.
Authorities also reported that over 12,000 individuals have been injured since the conflict began.
Iranian officials said victims ranged in age from eight months to 88 years old. The fatalities reportedly include around 200 women.
In one of the most widely reported incidents, officials said a group of 168 elementary school girls in the city of Minab were among those killed during the attacks.
The conflict has also affected medical personnel, with Iran reporting that 55 healthcare workers were injured and 11 killed, including physicians, nurses and emergency responders.
Impact on Israel, Lebanon and US Forces
Casualties have also been reported in Israel following retaliatory missile attacks launched from Iran.
According to Israel’s health ministry, at least 13 Israelis have died since the conflict began, while 1,929 others have been wounded in missile and rocket barrages.
The conflict has also drawn in other actors in the region. Lebanese authorities reported that Israeli attacks have killed 394 people in Lebanon, including 83 children.
More than half a million residents have reportedly been displaced following a week of clashes between Israeli forces and the militant group Hezbollah.
Meanwhile, eight United States soldiers have been confirmed dead since the fighting escalated.
Diplomatic Standoff Over Ceasefire
Despite the rising death toll, diplomatic efforts to end the conflict appear stalled.
Donald Trump, President of the United States, said earlier this week that the war could end “very soon,” although he cautioned that a resolution was unlikely to occur immediately.
Iranian officials, however, have rejected calls for negotiations while military operations continue.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) insisted that the outcome of the war would be determined by Iran itself rather than external powers.
Similarly, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei stated that Tehran would not consider a ceasefire while attacks by Israel and the United States persist.
“We are on the eleventh day of military aggression by the United States and the Zionist regime. We did not start this war,” Baghaei said during a press conference.
Ongoing Monitoring by Nigerian Authorities
As the conflict continues, Nigerian authorities say evacuation efforts will remain ongoing for citizens who wish to leave the region.
Government officials say further updates will be provided as the situation evolves and additional Nigerians are moved to safer locations.
For now, the focus remains on ensuring the safe passage of Nigerian nationals out of the conflict zone while diplomatic channels continue to track developments in the rapidly evolving Middle East crisis.
