Nigerian nationals have been reported to have been part of the 140 plus residents injured after Iran launched multiple ballistic missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles at the United Arab Emirates, raising fresh fears for thousands of Nigerians living and working in the Gulf nation.
The UAE Ministry of Defence revealed on Saturday that many missiles and drones fired from Iran were intercepted by its air defence systems. The strike was described as a significant escalation in the continuing regional tensions.
The ministry said in a statement on its official X handle that during the most recent attack on March 14, its air defence units fought 33 drones and nine ballistic missiles.
Six individuals were killed and 141 others, including foreign nationals, were injured in the attacks.
“The UAE air defence systems on March 14 engaged nine ballistic missiles and 33 UAVs launched from Iran,” the ministry stated.
“Since the onset of this blatant Iranian aggression, UAE air defences have engaged 294 ballistic missiles, 15 cruise missiles, and 1,600 UAVs launched from Iran.”
The ministry claims that foreign nationals from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Nepal were among the UAE citizens murdered in the attacks.
Although the authorities did not specify the exact locations where the casualties occurred, the ministry said the injured victims were from several countries, including Nigeria.
Residents of Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, the Philippines, Pakistan, Iran, India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka are among those impacted.
Azerbaijan, Yemen, Uganda, Eritrea, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Bahrain, Comoros, Turkey, Iraq, Nepal, Oman, Jordan, Palestine, Ghana, Indonesia, and Sweden were also included on the list.
The development has sparked concern among Nigerian communities in the UAE, where thousands of citizens live and work in sectors such as construction, hospitality, logistics and trade.
This development comes just few days after the Federal government revealed that it has started removing Nigerian nationals from Iran.
In its statement, the UAE Ministry of Defence however said the country remained fully prepared to confront any threats to its security.
Amid this disturbing development, Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs is yet to issue an official statement on the incident as of the time of filing this report.
Join Our Social Media Channels:
WhatsApp: NaijaEyes
Facebook: NaijaEyes
Twitter: NaijaEyes
Instagram: NaijaEyes
TikTok: NaijaEyes
