World War III?
Nigeria is evacuating its citizens from Israel and Iran
Happy Friday, Big Brains. I may be wrong, but I think one of the perks of being Nigerian is that I would probably survive a third world war. I don’t think any country cares enough to send missiles our way.
- Margaret
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Reading time ~ 5 mins
Let’s get into today’s edition:
Nigeria is evacuating its citizens from Israel and Iran
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan has been granted bail for alleged defamatory comments
The Big Deal
Nigeria is evacuating its citizens from Israel and Iran
2025 keeps hitting us with plot twists nobody asked for. Gone are the days when countries try to avoid fist fights. Now, we’re stuck with world leaders who would rather bring bombs to a dialogue fight.
In response to the growing crisis between Israel and Iran, the Nigerian government has announced plans for an emergency evacuation of stranded citizens in both countries.
According to a statement signed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Kimiebi Ebienfa, the Nigerian government is “finalising arrangements” to ensure that Nigerians caught in the crossfire are brought home safely.
Affected citizens have been instructed to remain calm, follow security protocols, and register with the nearest Nigerian Embassy in Tel Aviv or Tehran for assistance.
Nigeria, never one to bite more than it can chew, is also calling for everyone involved in this escalating war to talk things out like grown adults, instead of subjecting vulnerable citizens to destruction.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also added that updates will be shared through official channels as the conflict progresses.
Why is this a big deal?
Israel has been very deep in its “mess around and find out” bag lately, except the country is doing the “mess around” part itself. On Friday, June 13, Israel launched an attack against Iran. The Israeli government said the attack was a “preventive” move to stop Iran from building a nuclear bomb, which they believed was going to happen very soon.
When someone attacks you unprovoked for something they think you’re going to do, you’re definitely going to strike back. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how we found ourselves in this mess.
It’s nearly impossible to find the accurate number of Nigerians living in Israel or Iran, but at least 18,000 Nigerians visit the country annually. Right now, these Nigerians are at risk of becoming collateral damage in a war that has absolutely nothing to do with them.
If you think it's too early for evacuation, you’d be surprised to know that Nigeria is late to the rescue party. Even though the fight is only nearing its eighth day, countries like France, South Korea, Serbia, Portugal, the United States, Poland, Norway, New Zealand, Japan, Italy, Greece, Croatia, China, Bulgaria, and Australia started evacuating citizens from both Iran and Israel days before us.
There is also a chance that the conflict might intensify soon because of a potential interference by the U.S. Bloomberg reported that the U.S might be planning to strike Iran this weekend. It wouldn’t come as that much of a surprise if that happens because President Trump has boldly made suggestive comments, including a controversial remark that the U.S military would refrain from killing Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, for now.
It’s still too early to tell how low all the parties involved in this conflict are willing to go, but honestly, we don’t even want to find out. For what it's worth, the Nigerian government's emergency evacuation is a smart move, and we hope the affected Nigerians return home safely.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan has been granted bail for alleged defamatory comments
Speaking of wars, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has been fighting a different kind in 2025. From a questionable 6-month suspension to home invasions by gunmen, she’s been through the worst.
The latest round of hardship the Kogi central Senator has had to deal with is a defamation case brought against her by former Kogi State governor Yahaya Bello and Nigeria’s Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, whom she accused of plotting her assassination.
On Thursday, June 19, Akpoti-Udughan was arraigned before Justice Chizoba Orji of the FCT High Court on a three-count charge tied to the alleged defamatory comments. She pleaded not guilty to all three charges in court and was granted bail set at ₦50 million, with one surety who must be a resident of the Federal Capital Territory. The court’s decision allows her to remain free as she prepares for trial.
The judge has now fixed September 23 as the official start date for the trial. For obvious reasons, this case is as interesting as it is significant. We’ll continue to monitor it closely and bring you the updates as they come.
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