Some of the victims have recently lamented the loss of jobs and difficulties they experienced obtaining work permits in the country as a result of the diplomatic row between the African country and the Middle Eastern country.
A group under the aegis of Arise Nigerian Youth on Monday in Abuja staged a protest over alleged maltreatment and victimisation of Nigerian nationals living in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) following the revocation of their work permits.
Some of the victims have recently lamented the loss of jobs and difficulties they experienced obtaining work permits in the country as a result of the diplomatic row between the African country and the Middle Eastern country.
The protesters accused the UAE government of subjecting many Nigerians whose work permits had been revoked to undue harassment and inhumane treatment through its security operatives.
The leader of the group, Moses Eze, while addressing journalists said they can no longer fold their arms and watch the UAE government treat Nigerians with disdain and cruelty.
He, therefore, called on the Nigerian government to rise up to the occasion and find a lasting solution to the problem or retaliate by invoking the principle of reciprocity.
Moses said, “We are here to represent our brothers and sisters who are been maltreated in UAE since six months ago when they placed a ban on their working permits.
“All efforts to restore the working permits were unsuccessful. We have met the Nigerian Ambassador to UAE and he said there was nothing like that and we also went to the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Aviation to lay a complaint.
“As I speak to you, many Nigerians in UAE are suffering, some are sleeping under the bridge, train station while some are back in Nigeria.
“We are using this medium to call on the Nigerian and UAE governments to come to an agreement and address this problem.”
Moses added that the security challenges in the country coupled with the non-availability of jobs would worsen if over 17,000 Nigerians living in the UAE were to be repatriated to Nigeria.
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