Nigerians in Lebanon may temporarily be relieved after learning that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has made plans to evacuate them but, until they return home, many of them continue to live each minute in fear of death.
One such Nigerian still in the war-torn zone in Lebanon is Pastor Adeyinka Omotosho, the patron of the Nigerian community, who told The Punch that life had become difficult for Nigerians as they live in fear of possible escalation of the conflict.
“It is very serious. We are afraid that this may escalate; that is what we are thinking. Now they are moving around everywhere and looking for who to strike. Once they are in a building, they will make sure they pull it down. That is our fear,” Omotosho said.
“Most Nigerians who left the South have no access to go back there again. We were all initially trapped in the place before we managed to escape.
“We had to run for our lives and didn’t bother about our property. But the attack has also spread to Beirut. Today, there was a serious bombing in the capital city. We are really afraid.”
Michael Okpeche, another Nigerian stranded in Lebanon, said he and other Nigerians abandoned their property and ran for dear life when Israel’s attack on Lebanon broke out.
He said that Nigerians were initially trapped at a spot but managed to escape, and described the situation as tense, adding that the Nigerians who left the South have no access to go back there again.
“The attack has also spread to Beirut. Today, there was a serious bombing in the capital city. We are really afraid,” Okpeche said.
Elisha Sylvester said many residents had not only lost their jobs but the conflict had displaced them.
He also highlighted a point many X users raised in the last week on how several Lebanese employers ran for safety but abandoned their staffers.
“Immediately the war started, their bosses fled the country and terminated their jobs. Some of them have no job as I speak to you now. The problem with us is that everything is in bills. We pay for everything,” Sylvester told The Punch.
“Before COVID-19, there were so many people who used to collect their salaries up to $2,000 and $1,000. Currently, the situation is worse; one cannot get such an amount of money. It is hard. The house rent is at a high rate. Because of this war, all the landlords have increased the rent, and the bills are too much for us. Many people do not have money to pay rent or feed.”
Amid these growing concerns, the Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has reassured Nigerians that evacuation plans are in place. In a statement released on X on Saturday, around 500 Nigerians have registered with the Nigerian mission in Lebanon, but it claimed that there remain more than 2,000 who have not yet come forward for evacuation.
As of Sunday morning, the Israel Defence Force (IDF) asked Lebanese civilians in 25 villages and towns in southern Lebanon to leave and head north of the Awali River as they plan to demolish Hezbollah’s infrastructure in the border area.
The Times of Israel reports that, while officials have said that the military intends for the operations to end as quickly as possible, the IDF said it will notify the civilians when it is safe to return, although this has not stopped the unnecessary killings of civilians.
About 2,000 residents have lost their lives since Israel began bombarding Southern Lebanon on September 23.
Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM)’s media told FIJ that the conflict in Lebanon had not got to the stage it needed to help Nigerians flee on Thursday.
