The Federal Government says it is closely observing the ceasefire between Israel and Iran and is continuing preparations to evacuate Nigerian citizens in case the conflict resumes.
This was confirmed on Tuesday by The PUNCH, following the announcement of a ceasefire brokered by former U.S. President Donald Trump, after weeks of intense hostilities between the two Middle Eastern nations.
Last week, the Nigerian government revealed plans to evacuate nearly 1,000 of its nationals stranded in Iran, pending final approval from Armenian authorities to allow safe passage across their border.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs disclosed that the Nigerian Embassy in Tehran had already put logistics in place to transport the evacuees by bus to Armenia, from where they would be flown to Nigeria via Yerevan, the Armenian capital.
While transportation had been arranged, final clearance from Armenia was still being awaited.
To facilitate a smooth evacuation process, the embassy also submitted updated evacuee lists with personal details to Iranian officials.
Coordination with Tehran is aimed at avoiding delays and ensuring an orderly cross-border transfer.
Providing an update on the situation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Kimiebi Ebienfa said the government was closely watching developments.
“We are monitoring the implementation of the ceasefire agreement closely.
The safety and welfare of Nigerians abroad remains our top priority. We are ready to act if the situation changes,” he said.
The current crisis began on June 13, when Israel launched coordinated airstrikes on over 100 sites across Iran, including military and nuclear facilities.
Iran responded with a series of missile attacks, leading to heavy casualties on both sides.
Iran’s Health Ministry reported that at least 610 civilians have been killed and more than 4,700 injured since the conflict began.
Among the casualties were 13 children, healthcare workers, and emergency responders. Several hospitals and ambulances were also damaged in the strikes.
The violence triggered evacuations by several countries, including Germany, Slovakia, Greece, Bulgaria, and the Czech Republic.
In some cases, evacuees had to cross land borders on foot before being airlifted home.
While announcing the ceasefire, Trump criticized both Iran and Israel for violating previous agreements.
Despite his remarks, he confirmed that the truce was currently holding and urged Israel to suspend further air operations.