Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama is in a closed-door meeting with Russian and Ukrainian Ambassadors in Abuja.
The Muhammadu Buhari-led government has been under pressure to declare its position on the conflict in Ukraine, with many saying the government should remain neutral.
Also after pressure from Nigerians, the minister on Thursday announced a special flight operation to evacuate Nigerian citizens from Ukraine given the escalating tension between that country and Russia.
Onyeama in an interview with NTA, said the Nigerian embassy in Kyiv had been contacted to make arrangements to get Nigerian citizens willing to leave Ukraine out.
The minister said the government would do everything to ensure the safety of Nigerians in Ukraine, particularly students.
“We are not going to take any chances, we have agreed that we are going to ask all Nigerians to stay in their residence and what we plan to do is once the airports are open, the embassy will assist those who are ready and willing to leave the country,” Onyeama said.
“There are five airports, so we are now planning to get those who want to leave to the airports nearest to where they are staying and assist for them to leave the country.”
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives also on Thursday demanded an immediate evacuation of Nigerians in Ukraine, offering to shoulder the responsibility.
This is a result of the ongoing row between Russia and Ukraine.