No Nigerians Have Reached Out for Help in Iran – NiDCOM

The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) has stated that it has yet to receive any distress calls from Nigerians in Iran amid the ongoing US-Iran hostilities.

NiDCOM’s Director of Media and Public Relations, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, told Vanguard that although Nigerians may be present in Iran, none has officially contacted the commission for assistance. “I’m not saying there are no Nigerians there, I’m only saying nobody has sent any distress call,” he explained.

Flight suspensions due to the conflict make immediate evacuations impossible. “You cannot fly where bombs are going up and down. No airline will fly,” Balogun added, noting that the disruption affects all foreign nationals.

Evacuation would only be possible if a ceasefire is declared to allow safe passage. “They may ceasefire for two or three days to allow people who are stranded at the airport to be evacuated. That has not been done,” he said.

Balogun clarified that NiDCOM does not have figures on the number of Nigerians currently in Iran, advising that such inquiries be directed to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

He also explained that collaboration with airlines or foreign authorities is not feasible under the current conditions, since Nigeria has no national carrier operating international routes.

Regarding possible evacuation plans, Balogun said that Nigerians must voluntarily request government assistance. “You cannot force them… People must seek for help and say, ‘Our lives are in danger, can you evacuate us?’”

He added that the government could then implement emergency measures, including chartering planes and setting up a rescue committee, but all beneficiaries must be willing to return to Nigeria.

Balogun emphasized that protecting Nigerians abroad is a priority for the Federal Government, stating: “If the life of any Nigerian is in danger and it reaches out to us, the Federal Government will look for a way out. Even if we don’t have an aircraft, we can lease or hire for that operation.”

Without a ceasefire and reopened airspace, he stressed, evacuation remains impossible. “As far as I know, I’m not aware that anybody has sent a distress call,” he said.

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