The arrangement to mend fences between Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has reportedly humiliated President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
According to Anaedoonline.ng, the presidential spokeswoman, Ajuri Ngelale, earlier this week said that the UAE had lifted its visa requirement for visitors from Nigeria.
He said that following Tinubu’s meeting with UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi on Monday, a decision had been made.
UPDATE: Tinubu To Meet UAE Leaders Over Visa, Diplomatic Row Today
Ngelale said, “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.”
Nigeria was forced to back off after the Emiratis later released a counterstatement that appeared to be a disclaimer. In response to the Nigerian declaration in Abu Dhabi, diplomatic sources used the adjectives “furious,” “deeply upset,” and “shocked” to describe the atmosphere.
There haven’t been any changes to the status of travel between Nigeria and the UAE, according to a UAE official who also talked to CNN.
Leadership Newspaper was informed on Friday by a number of diplomatic sources that the sudden delay in resolving the dispute between the two countries might be due to a “mis-briefing” on the general terms of the talks between the visiting Nigerian officials and their Emirati counterparts.
UAE Official Denies Nigeria’s Claim of Visa Ban Lift
“What was characterised as resumption of flights and restoration of normal ties was clearly malicious exaggeration,” one diplomatic source said. “No such commitments were requested, discussed, or accepted.”
Only the Nigerian President and the National Security Advisor, Nuhu Ribadu, reportedly attended the meeting with UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed al Nahyan at Qasr Al Shati, Abu Dhabi, according to another source.
“It’s difficult to understand where the mis-briefing that led to the Nigerian report happened,” another diplomatic source said.
“Maybe it’s some people in the Nigerian delegation who were anxious to make political capital out of the visit by extracting far more from it than it actually promised. Ask your people where they got their report from.”
According to sources, Tinubu expressed “deep embarrassment” and demanded a probe into the manner in which the Nigerian statement was released.
Reactions As UAE Lifts Visa Ban On Nigerians After Tinubu’s Intervention
According to sources, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is stuck with the UAE transaction, notably the ticket earnings of roughly $85 million, and the cautious management of the visa restrictions due to charges of misconduct against some Nigerian applicants is required.
“Of course, UAE would like to expand bilateral relations with Nigeria, but it is unlikely that they want to do so without being sure of what they’re getting back in return,” a diplomatic source said.
“You know that the entire amount outstanding to foreign airlines tied down in the CBN is about $743 million,” one aviation source said on Friday. “The other airlines are also watching to see how the Nigerian government treats the Emirate Airlines case.”
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