The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, NiDCOM, said, yesterday, it is yet to receive any distress call from Nigerians residing in Iran, following ongoing hostilities between Iran and the United States and its ally, Israel.

This came on a day the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it is still monitoring the situation in the Middle East.

This is even as dozens of protesters marching around the Maryland area of Lagos, yesterday, chanted anti-US and anti-Israel slogans and called for global condemnation of foreign intervention in sovereign nations. The presence of the demonstrators heightened tensions as passers-by avoided the area.

Recall that Shi’ites had on Sunday protested the attack and killing of Iran’s Supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in Kano, Sokoto, Gombe, Niger, Kaduna, Bauchi and Yobe states.

Meanwhile, the war spread across the Middle East and beyond, yesterday, with Lebanon-based Hezbollah entering the fray, targeting a British air base in Cyprus, as price of Nigeria’s Bonny Light surged to $80 per barrel, yesterday, up from $70 per barrel on Sunday, the highest since July 2025.

Director of Media and Public Relations of NiDCOM, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, who disclosed news of no distress call in a telephone interview with Vanguard, said though there might be Nigerians in Iran, none had officially reached out to the commission for assistance.

“I’m not saying there are no Nigerians there, I’m only saying nobody has sent any distress call,” he clarified.

He explained that flight cancellations to the region are due to ongoing hostilities, stressing that no airline will operate in an active war zone.

“You cannot fly where bombs are going up and down. No airline will fly,” he said, adding that the situation affects all nationals, not just Nigerians.

“There may be ceasefire for two or three days to allow people who are stranded at the airport to be evacuated. That has not been done,” he noted.

Asked to provide an estimate of Nigerians currently affected, Balogun said NiDCOM doesn’t have such data and advised that inquiries be directed to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“We don’t have embassies there. The only person controlling embassies is the Minister of Foreign Affairs. They will be able to tell you,” he said.

On whether NiDCOM is collaborating with airlines or foreign authorities to ensure Nigerians are not left stranded, the spokesperson maintained that such collaboration is not feasible under the current circumstances.

“There is suspension of (flights) by all airlines. We cannot collaborate with anybody,” he said, noting that Nigeria currently has no national carrier operating international routes.

“Which Nigerian airline? We don’t have one now,” he added.

Balogun explained that Nigerians travelling to Iran typically do so as private individuals, often connecting through countries such as United Arab Emirates or Greece.

Speaking on the possibility of activating a full evacuation plan, Balogun said certain conditions must be met before the Federal Government could intervene.

Balogun, who stressed that affected Nigerians must formally request assistance and be willing to return home, said: “You cannot force them; people went there voluntarily. In Sudan and Ukraine, some initially said they were not leaving. So people must seek for help and say, ‘our lives are in danger, can you evacuate us?”

He explained that once such a request was made and conditions permit, the Federal Government could arrange emergency measures, including chartering aircraft and setting up a rescue committee.

“They must be Nigerians and be ready to come back home,” he stated.

He affirmed that the protection of Nigerians abroad remains a core responsibility of the Federal Government, in line with its citizen diplomacy policy.

“If the life of any Nigerian is in danger and it reaches out to us, the Federal Government will look for a way out. Even if we don’t have an aircraft, we can lease or hire for that operation,” he added.

“As far as I know, I’m not aware that anybody has sent a distress call,” he maintained, adding that international protocols must also be observed in situations of global airspace restrictions.

Foreign Ministry looking at rescuing stranded Nigerians

On its part, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, yesterday, it is considering the option of evacuating Nigerians from the war-torn region as soon as normalcy returned.

Spokesman of the ministry, Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, who disclosed this, told Vanguard: ‘’We are considering that option while monitoring the situation.’’

Shi’ites protest attacks in Lagos

Also, yesterday, members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, IMN, commonly known as Shi’ites, yesterday, staged a protest against the attack on Iran and killing of its spiritual leader, Ayatollah Khamenei.

The protesters marched around the Maryland area, chanting anti-US and anti-Israel slogans and seeking global condemnation of foreign interventions in sovereign nations.

Consequently, policemen were deployed to strategic points to maintain order and ensure it was not hijacked by miscreants.

South-West Coordinator of the IMN, Muftau Zakariya, told reporters that the protest was being done to highlight what they described as persistent foreign incursions into sovereign states.

“Nothing good is coming from the US intervention. It is only interested in its economic gains, not minding the consequences thereafter,’’ he said.

Also recall that the acting Inspector-General of Police, IGP, Tunji Disu, had on Sunday ordered heightened security measures nationwide to prevent any fallout from international developments.

Conflict spreads to Lebanon as Iran strikes S\Arabia, Qatar energy sites

As the war progressed, yesterday, it spread across the Middle East and beyond, with Lebanon-based Hezbollah entering the fray, targeting a British air base in Cyprus.

Lebanese officials said at least 31 people were killed in Israeli strikes.

In retaliation, Iran struck major gas plants in Qatar and Saudi Arabia, leading to a pause in operations in both energy sites, thus sending oil and gas prices further up.

Several US war planes were reportedly erroneously shot down yesterday by Kuwaiti air defences but all crew members survived.

Similarly, Ayotallah Ali Khamenei’s wife, 79-year-old Mansoureh Khojasteh Bagherzadeh, died of the injury she sustained three days after the strike killed her husband and several senior Iranian commanders.

Vowing to avenge the death of Khamenei, Iran’s security chief said Tehran is not willing to negotiate with the US, contradicting President Donald Trump’s claims that Tehran had reached out and was ready to resume talks.

Speaking, yesterday, Trump said US strikes will continue in full force until all objectives were achieved, adding that the war will probably last four weeks.

He admitted that there will likely be more casualties after US Central Command confirmed four US soldiers killed in an Iranian attack.

UK Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, said the UK has accepted a US request to use some of its military bases.

Strikes to continue with full force — Trump

Speaking on the ongoing war, yesterday, President Trump said US and Israeli military operations against Iran will continue until all objectives were achieved.

Trump spoke as US Central Command announced that a fourth service member had been confirmed dead.

In the six-minute speech posted on social media, Trump said: “Combat operations continue at this time in full force, and they will continue until all of our objectives are achieved. We have very strong objectives.”

He urged Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and military police to lay down their arms, while also addressing the Iranian people about the country’s leadership.

“I call upon all Iranian patriots who yearn for freedom, to seize this moment, to be brave, be bold, be heroic and take back your country. America is with you,’’ Trump said.

Saudi Arabia halts some operations at Ras Tanura refinery

Trump’s declaration came on a day Saudi Arabia’s Energy Ministry said some operations at its Ras Tanura refinery had been halted after an attack that caused a fire at the complex.

The ministry was quoted as having said the refinery sustained “minor damage from falling debris” due to interception of two drones in the refinery’s vicinity.

“Some operational units at the refinery were shut down as a precautionary measure without any impact on the supply of petroleum products to local markets,” an official source at the ministry said in a statement published by the Saudi Press Agency. The Ras Tanura complex houses one of Middle East’s largest refineries, with a capacity of 550,000 barrels per day.

QatarEnergy halts LNG production

QatarEnergy, the state-owned energy company, also said it had halted Liquefied Natural Gas, LNG, production after attacks on its facilities in Ras Laffan and Mesaieed.

In a statement shared on social media, it added: “QatarEnergy values its relationships with all of its stakeholders and will continue to communicate the latest available information.

‘’LNG is gas that has been chilled, loaded on to ships and sent overseas to be burned. Qatar is among the world’s top LNG exporters.’’

The QatarEnergy statement came after the Qatari government said an energy facility belonging to the company was attacked by two Iranian drones, yesterday, with authorities still assessing the damage.

Iran’s ‘reckless’ attacks threaten regional stability, US, allied Gulf states say

Assessing the situation, yesterday, the US and allied Gulf states, including Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, condemned Iran’s indiscriminate and reckless attacks across the region which, they said, “targeted sovereign territories, endangered civilians, and inflicted damage on civilian infrastructure”.

They reiterated their position that they reserved the right to self-defence.

In a joint statement, they said: “Iran’s actions represent a dangerous escalation that violates the sovereignty of multiple states and threatens regional stability. Targeting civilians and non-combatant states is reckless behaviour that undermines stability.

“We stand united in defence of our citizens, our sovereignty, and our territories, and we reaffirm our right to self-defence in the face of these attacks, while underscoring our commitment to regional security and commending the effective cooperation in air and missile defence that prevented greater loss of life and destruction.”

War fears deepen as France, allies back Gulf states

As tensions in the Middle East rose, yesterday, France and other Western countries voiced support for Gulf nations, even as France said it is ready to assist its regional partners if further attacks occurred.

French Foreign Minister, Jean-Noël Barrot, said Paris stands in solidarity with countries affected by Iran’s missile and drone strikes.

He said: “To allied countries that have been deliberately targeted by the missiles and drones of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards and dragged into a war they did not choose, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Iraq, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, and Jordan, France expresses its full support and complete solidarity.’’

Barrot, who added that France could act under defence agreements and international law if needed, said: “It stands ready, in accordance with the agreements that bind it to its partners and with the principle of collective self-defence provided under international law, to take part in their defence.’’

France, Germany and the United Kingdom warned Iran against further escalation, saying they are prepared to defend their interests and allies. “Iran’s reckless attacks have targeted our close allies and are threatening our service personnel and our civilians across the region.

“We will take steps to defend our interests and those of our allies in the region, potentially through enabling necessary and proportionate defensive action to destroy Iran’s capability to fire missiles and drones at their source,” the statement read.

Missile exchanges have now spread beyond Iran and Israel, as strike apparently hit near the United States Embassy compound in Kuwait City, though no casualties were immediately reported.

In Iraq, a pro-Iran militia claimed a drone attack on United States troops at Baghdad airport, while Cyprus also reported limited damage after a drone struck a British air base.

Israel, US continue air strikes inside Iran targeting military facilities

President Trump said nine Iranian warships were sunk and key naval assets destroyed, quoting United States officials confirming the use of B2 stealth bombers on strategic targets.

Hezbollah also fired missiles from Lebanon into Israel, as Israeli retaliatory strikes killed at least 31 people and wounded 149 in Lebanon, according to local officials.

Inside Iran, authorities said more than 200 people had died since the fighting began, while residents in Tehran remained indoors amid tightened security.

In Israel, missile strikes hit several areas, including Jerusalem and a synagogue in Beit Shemesh, where nine people were killed and 28 injured.

Rescue services said the national death toll had reached 11, even as Trump warned that more casualties might occur.

“Sadly, there will likely be more before it ends,” he said.

The World Health Organisation called for the protection of civilians and health facilities as humanitarian concerns grow.

Bonny Light hits $80 per barrel

The war impacted further on the price of Nigeria’s Bonny Light as it surged to $80 per barrel, up from $70 per barrel, the highest since July 2025 yesterday.

Other crudes also recorded significant gains – Brent rose to $79.08 per barrel from $72.87 per barrel; Murban Crude climbed to $81.05 per barrel from $74.24 per barrel; while West Texas Intermediate, WTI, increased to $72.24 per barrel from $62 per barrel recorded previously.

Oil prices began climbing on Sunday amid reports that Iranian crude production, estimated at about three million barrels per day and largely exported to China and other countries, had been disrupted. Prices continued to rise as the conflict intensified, triggering concerns over a broader supply shock to the global market.

According to OPEC, Iran possesses vast hydrocarbon and mineral resources.

Beyond petroleum, the country’s natural resources include natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, iron ore, lead, manganese, zinc and sulphur.

At the current price of $80 per barrel, Nigeria earns $15.15 above its 2026 budget benchmark of $64.85 per barrel. The 2026 budget is predicated on crude oil production of 1.84 million barrels per day and an exchange rate of N1,400 to the dollar.

However, energy analysts warn that sustained tensions in the Middle East could push up global petroleum product prices in the coming weeks, potentially affecting domestic pump prices.

Also, OPEC+ has agreed to increase oil output, following a virtual meeting held on Sunday.

The eight countries, including Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iraq, UAE, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Algeria and Oman, which had previously announced additional voluntary adjustments in April and November 2023, met virtually on March 1, 2026, to review global market conditions and outlook.

In a statement, OPEC+ said: “In view of a steady global economic outlook and current healthy market fundamentals, as reflected in the low oil inventories, the eight participating countries decided to resume the unwinding of the 1.65 million barrels per day of additional voluntary adjustments announced in April 2023 and agreed on a production adjustment of 206,000 barrels per day.

“This adjustment will be implemented in April 2026. The 1.65 million barrels per day may be returned in part or in full subject to evolving market conditions and in a gradual manner.

“The countries will continue to closely monitor and assess market conditions and reaffirmed the importance of adopting a cautious approach and retaining full flexibility to increase, pause or reverse the phase-out of the voluntary production adjustments, including reversing the previously implemented voluntary adjustments of the 2.2 million barrels per day announced in November 2023.”

The alliance noted that the measure would also provide participating countries the opportunity to accelerate compensation for overproduction since January 2024.

The eight OPEC+ countries are scheduled to meet again on April 5, 2026.

Middle East tensions hit shipping as traffic slumps

As part of the consequences of the war, shipping traffic through the Straits of Hormuz has sharply declined, with major carriers suspending transits, despite no formal closure of the waterway.

Industry data indicates more than 200 vessels, including roughly 150 oil and gas tankers, are anchored outside the strait, while about 170 container ships remain inside facing movement restrictions.

Global shipping lines, including Maersk, MSC, CMA CGM and Hapag-Lloyd, have announced temporary suspensions of passage through the corridor.

Security incidents have compounded the disruption. At least three commercial tankers, including the Skylight and MKD Vyom, were reportedly damaged on March 1.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had issued public warnings cautioning vessels against transit, contributing to insurers raising premiums and shipowners delaying departures.

The strait handles between 20 and 30 per cent of globally traded crude oil and a comparable share of liquefied natural gas, making it one of the world’s most critical energy chokepoints.

Several vessels have begun rerouting around the Cape of Good Hope, adding significant time and cost to supply chains already under strain.

Polish envoy backs Nigeria’s restraint, urges ceasefire in US-Israel-Iran war

As a push back to the conflict, Ambassador of the Republic of Poland to Nigeria, Mr. Michal Cygan, yesterday, joined the Federal Government in urging caution over the ongoing US-Israel war on Iran, saying war wasn’t a sustainable fix.

The Federal Government had in a statement through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, called on all parties in the war to exercise maximum restraint, and prioritise dialogue over confrontation.

Speaking, yesterday, at the Ambassadorial Forum at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, NIIA, in Lagos, Cygan said he could “sign himself” under Nigeria’s Foreign Ministry and African Union statements, arguing that big power confrontations demanded restraint from Europe, Africa and NATO alike.

“I believe that when I read today’s statements from the Nigerian Foreign Ministry or the chairman of the African Union Commission, I could sign myself under these statements because I do believe that in times like this, we come out as Poland, as European Union, and as Africa, as aligned countries. (Vanguard)

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