Most Nigerians in Lebanon are unwilling to return home – FG

Only 500 out of more than 2,000 Nigerians who are currently living in Lebanon have taken the step to register with the Nigerian Embassy located in Beirut for assistance with their evacuation due to the ongoing conflict between Isreal and Hezbollah. This comes at a time when the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah is growing more intense and serious.

On October 5, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement highlighting that, despite the persistent efforts and initiatives made by the embassy to encourage Nigerians in Lebanon to return to their home country, a large number of them continue to show reluctance and hesitation about leaving their current situation. This indicates a complex mix of factors that may be influencing their decision, including personal circumstances, uncertainty regarding safety, and concerns about the future back in Nigeria.

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“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in collaboration with the Presidency, National Emergency Management Agency, Department of State Services, National Intelligence Agency, Nigerian Immigration Service, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission & other relevant bodies, is coordinating the evacuation exercise to ensure the safe return of Nigerians from Lebanon.

Presently, about 500 Nigerians have registered with the mission, however, there are more than 2,000 Nigerian citizens residing in the country

Even though most of them have not indicated a willingness to return home despite the persuasion by our embassy, we will continue to do everything to ensure the safety of our citizens