Buhari calls on UAE to reverse visa ban, airline operation in Nigeria

President Muhammadu Buhari has called on the government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to lift its blanket visa ban on Nigerians.

During a telephone conversation with UAE President, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Tuesday, President Buhari requested that his UAE counterpart review the blanket visa ban imposed on Nigerians intending to travel to the UAE.

Sheikh Al Nahyan doubles as the Emir of Abu Dhabi.

President Buhari also requested a resumption of the suspended operations of Emirates Airline in Nigeria.

Last year, Emirates Airlines suspended its operations in Nigeria 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, adding that the Central Bank of Nigeria had been directed to increase foreign exchange allocation to the airline.

According to a statement issued by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, President Buhari recalled that mutually beneficial excellent relations between both countries have subsisted between the two nations over many years, symbolised by robust economic interactions and regular consultations on matters of common interest, including engagements at the highest political levels.

He noted that recent irritants in bilateral relations generated by consular issues relating to the behaviour of some Nigerians in the UAE are being ironed out, noting that no country including Nigeria would condone criminalities and illegal behaviors.

The President, therefore, expressed the readiness of the Nigerian government to apply sanctions through appropriate judicial processes against anyone identified to have committed criminal acts in the UAE.

He requested 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 condoled with his UAE opposite number on the death of his mother-in-law, Sheikha Maryam Al Falasi.