By Enyichukwu Enemanna
Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari has appealed to United Arab Emirates (UAE) authorities to consider the suspension of visa ban slammed on Nigeria, expressing the readiness of the Nigerian government to apply necessary sanctions through appropriate judicial process against anyone identified to have committed criminal acts in the UAE.
President Buhari who made the call on Monday during a telephone conversation with the President of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who doubles as the Emir of Abu Dhabi also condoled with him on the death of his mother-in-law, Sheikha Maryam Al Falasi.
At the telephone conversation, President Buhari also raised important issues of mutual concern between the two countries.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by his media aide, Malam Garba Shehu, the President requested the emir to review the blanket visa ban imposed on Nigerians intending to travel to the UAE while reiterating that mutually beneficial excellent relations had subsisted between the two nations over many years, which according to him is symbolised by robust economic interactions and regular consultations on matters of common interest, including engagements at the highest political levels.
Buhari, who said the “recent irritants” in bilateral relations generated by consular issues relating to the behaviour of some Nigerians in the UAE were being ironed out, explained that no country including Nigeria would condone criminalities.
He urged that the issue be allowed to be handled by the relevant security/intelligence agencies of the two countries and to come up with lasting solutions to the problems associated with criminalities and illegalities.
President Buhari also requested a resumption of the suspended operations of Emirates Airline which had suspended its operations in Nigeria in 2022 in the wake of its inability to repatriate funds trapped in Nigeria.
President Buhari assured the UAE leader that the issue of the Emirates funds was receiving appropriate attention alongside those of other foreign airlines operating in Nigeria.
