TheCable

The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) has called on the country’s citizens living in Ukraine to be security conscious. 

The call comes as tensions between Ukraine and Russia continue to rise. 

The crisis stems from the protracted Russia-Ukrainian war that began in early 2014. 

Russia had annexed Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula and allegedly threw its weight behind a separatist rebellion after then-President Viktor Yanukovych was ousted.

Gabriel Odu, NIDCOM spokesperson, in a statement issued on Sunday, said Abike Dabiri-Erewa, chairman of the commission, has given assurances that the Nigerian embassy in Kyiv is doing all it can for the safety and security of Nigerians in the country. 

Odu said the NIDCOM chairman also urged Nigerian citizens in Ukraine to visit the embassy’s website and follow the registration process.

“Additional information and necessary action with regards to emergencies and concerns,” he said.

Meanwhile, in a January 26 statement issued by the embassy, Nigerians in Ukraine were advised to take their “individual and collective safety and security very seriously”.

They were also advised to carry requisite identification at all times — and avoid unnecessary travel within the country, especially to identified hotspots in Eastern Ukraine.

The security warning comes on the same day the US disclosed that Russia could invade Ukraine “any time now”.

In an interview with ABC, Jake Sullivan, the White House national security adviser, had said “there is a very distinct possibility that Vladimir Putin will order an attack on Ukraine”.

He added: “It could take a number of different forms. It could happen as soon as tomorrow or it could take some weeks yet.”