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Iran Vs Israel: Nigerians Stranded As Airlines Cancel Middle East Flights.
Nigerians travelling to or from Qatar, Israel, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates have been stranded due to escalating tensions between the United States, Israel, and Iran.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
Reports indicate that the crisis has led several international carriers—including Air France, Air India, Turkish Airlines, Norwegian, Air Algérie, Qatar Airways, Emirates, and Lufthansa—to cancel numerous flights.
The disruption followed U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on Iranian targets, prompting Iran to launch retaliatory attacks on U.S. military bases in Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia.
Passengers scheduled to depart Nigeria via Qatar Airways on Saturday morning were barred from flying. Some travellers who had already boarded were reportedly asked to disembark after the airline announced that Doha’s airspace had been closed.
One passenger told Sunday Punch: “I had planned so many things around this trip. Suddenly, they announced that the airport in Doha is not responding, and I don’t even understand what that means. I’m wondering if they can reroute us through another destination without passing through Doha. This situation is really painful.”
Another traveller added, “With this development, only God knows when my sister will be able to return to school. We understand this is a genuine situation, but it is really painful.”
Across the Middle East, flights were widely cancelled on Saturday as countries closed airspace amid ongoing attacks and counterattacks.
Airline Responses
Qatar Airways announced a temporary suspension of flights due to the closure of Qatari airspace, stating: “The safety of our passengers and employees is always our highest priority, and we apologise for any inconvenience caused.”
Air India also suspended flights to all destinations in the Middle East, tweeting: “In view of the developing situation in parts of the Middle East, all Air India flights to all destinations in the Middle East have been suspended.”
Kuwait closed its airspace, while Syria reportedly shut part of its southern airspace along the border with Israel for 12 hours. Russia’s aviation authority, Rosaviatsia, also cancelled all commercial flights to Israel and Iran until further notice.
Industry Officials Speak
The Chairman of the International Airlines Operators Committee, Damilola Ogunyeye, confirmed that outbound airlines had begun cancelling flights due to airspace closures. He said:
“It is an unfortunate situation affecting global travel. Safety is paramount in aviation, and airlines such as Qatar Airways and Emirates cancelled flights to avoid any risk. We hope normal operations will resume soon.”
Yinka Folami, President of the National Association of Nigeria Travel Agents, also confirmed that passengers had been turned back. “Yes, airlines have started sending passengers home. Qatar Airways, for instance, asked passengers to disembark because airspaces have been shut. Safety is the top priority in aviation,” he said.
FAAN Advisory
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) warned on Saturday that international flights to and from Nigeria are being affected. Several scheduled flights to Middle Eastern destinations have been cancelled or delayed as airlines reroute to avoid conflict zones.
FAAN advised affected passengers to contact their airlines directly for updates on flight status, rebooking, and guidance. “FAAN continues to monitor the situation with relevant aviation authorities and airline operators and will provide updates as necessary. We regret the inconvenience and appreciate the cooperation of travellers,” the agency said.
The hostilities began after U.S. and Israeli airstrikes targeted multiple locations in Iran, including Tehran, described by U.S. President Donald Trump as “major combat operations.” Iran has retaliated with missile attacks targeting northern Israel and U.S. military bases in the region, further heightening tensions and disrupting international travel.
Bamidele Kehinde, Director of Dynamic Ambassadors for Social Orientation Initiatives and the City Transformation Project, has expressed appreciation to the Federal Government of Nigeria for its efforts in securing the release of Pastor Benjamin Egbaji, who was reportedly held in detention in the Republic of Benin for over two years under difficult conditions.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
Pastor Egbaji, a Nigerian cleric, was said to have endured harsh treatment during his detention, including prolonged confinement. His release followed a presidential pardon granted by the authorities in Benin Republic under President Patrice Talon.
Speaking on News Central TV, Dr. Kehinde praised the diplomatic efforts that led to the cleric’s freedom, describing the process as lengthy and challenging. He noted that significant progress was achieved after Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu was appointed Minister of State for Foreign Affairs.
He stated that although there was no personal connection or financial influence involved, the minister actively engaged Benin Republic authorities through diplomatic channels. According to him, her visit and negotiations played a key role in securing Pastor Egbaji’s release.
Dr. Kehinde also commended all individuals and institutions that contributed to the advocacy efforts, including Moses Eyo, Dickson Umu Unung, the Cross River State Government, CP Alobi Lawrence (rtd), Joseph Bisong Ayi, Blessing Harrison, Eze Sampson, and Rt. Hon. Legor Idagbo.
He said their combined efforts were instrumental in achieving the cleric’s freedom.
He added that while Egbaji’s release is a major relief, the cleric now faces the task of recovering and rebuilding his life after years of hardship. He called for continued support to help him reintegrate into society.
Dr. Kehinde also urged stronger government commitment to protecting Nigerian citizens abroad and enhancing diplomatic engagement across West Africa to prevent similar cases in the future.
The Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire, and Immigration Services Board (CDCFIB) has provided an update on its ongoing nationwide recruitment exercise.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
The board stated that 1,120,491 applications were successfully completed and processed, allowing candidates to proceed to the computer-based test (CBT) stage.
It also disclosed that 432,935 applications were left incomplete, while 360,923 applicants were disqualified during screening and shortlisting for failing to meet the required criteria.
In total, the recruitment exercise recorded over 1.8 million applications across the country.
The exercise covers agencies under the board, including the Nigeria Immigration Service, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Federal Fire Service, and the Nigeria Correctional Service.
CDCFIB also released a breakdown of CBT performance, showing that 221,996 candidates scored between 0–40, 229,155 scored between 41–60, 278,543 scored between 61–80, while 142,697 scored between 81–100.
The recruitment process is now expected to move to the next stage, which includes physical screening and document verification. Shortlisted candidates will be contacted with details of their screening venues, dates, and required documents.
The board reiterated that the entire process is free of charge and advised applicants to rely only on official communication channels for updates, warning against misinformation and unauthorized messages circulating online.
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has confirmed that its Air Component of Operation HADIN KAI conducted precise airstrikes in the Yuwe axis of the Sambisa Forest, resulting in the elimination of several terrorist elements on Monday.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
This was contained in a statement issued on Tuesday in Abuja by the Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, who noted that military operations in the North-East continue to maintain strong pressure on insurgent groups.
He explained that the operation was based on credible intelligence, supported by Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) activities, which identified active terrorist presence within fortified positions and underground hideouts.
According to him, NAF air platforms successfully engaged the targets using precision-guided munitions, destroying the structures, neutralising multiple terrorists, and dismantling key logistics facilities. This was later confirmed through battle damage assessments.
The statement added that sustained air operations have continued to weaken terrorist networks, disrupting their activities and forcing them into more defensive and unstable responses.
The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, also reiterated the Air Force’s commitment to maintaining continuous, intelligence-driven operations aimed at completely neutralising terrorist threats.
He further assured that the NAF remains focused on protecting its personnel, safeguarding national security, and ensuring the safety of citizens, while continuing precision operations in line with strict rules of engagement to minimise civilian impact.
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