Muhammadu Buhari Urges UAE President To Lift Blanket Visa Ban on Nigerians By: Ogunleye Oluwapelumi
President Muhammadu Buhari in a telephone conversation with the president of the United Arab Emirates has requested that the blanket ban placed on Nigerians be reviewed and revoked. This position by the president was made known on Tuesday in a statement on his social media platform.
The statement reads, “I telephoned the President of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, to offer condolences on the death of his mother-in-law, Sheikha Maryam Al Falasi. May her soul rest in perfect peace.
I also urged him to lift the blanket visa ban by the UAE on Nigerians.
“ Nigeria and the UAE has enjoyed excellent and beneficial relations for many years, including at the highest political levels. We can and must continue to iron out whatever issues arise between us.
“ We are mindful of the consular issues relating to the behavior of some Nigerians in the UAE, and we will ensure the application of necessary sanctions, through appropriate judicial process, against anyone identified to have committed criminal acts in the UAE” he added.
Buhari also called for a resumption of suspended Nigerian operations of Emirates Airline. He assured Sheikh Mohamed that the fund repatriation issues that led to the suspension are receiving appropriate attention, and he promised to make additional foreign exchange available for affected airlines.
