Former Super Eagles winger Victor Moses could soon end his unexpected stay in Dubai as the Nigerian government intensifies efforts to evacuate citizens affected by rising tensions in the Middle East.
The 35-year-old footballer has been stranded in Dubai after escalating hostilities involving Iran, the United States, and Israel disrupted air travel across parts of the region.
The travel restrictions have prevented him from returning to Kazakhstan, where he recently signed with FC Kaisar.
Kaisar confirmed that Moses, along with fellow Nigerian attacker Imoh Ezekiel, missed the club’s Kazakhstan Premier League season opener against FK Zhenys on March 8 because of the travel disruption.
Head coach Andrey Ferapontov said the club is still awaiting the arrival of both players before the squad can be considered complete.
“Moses cannot leave Dubai at the moment because of the political situation,” Ferapontov explained. “We’re still waiting for him. Once he and the other player arrive, we’ll finally have our full squad available.”
The Evacuation
However, there are signs that the situation may soon improve. Nigerian authorities have already begun assisting citizens caught in the regional crisis.
The Nigerian Embassy in Iran recently facilitated the evacuation of Nigerians willing to leave through the Armenia border.
Chairperson of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, confirmed that no Nigerian in Iran has been reported harmed so far.
She added that the federal government has assembled a multi-agency emergency response team ready to carry out broader evacuations once airspace restrictions are lifted.
Dabiri-Erewa also revealed that one flight from the United Arab Emirates managed to reach Lagos shortly before fresh strikes forced another round of airspace closures.
“Fortunately, a flight arrived from the UAE to Lagos two days ago before the latest strike and shutdown of the airspace,” she said. “Our emergency evacuation team is on standby and ready to act once the airspace reopens.”
Qatar Airways Resumes Operations
In the meantime, Qatar Airways has resumed limited international operations from Doha, initially serving routes such as Nairobi, with additional services to Cairo, London, and Istanbul expected to restart soon.
Moses joined FC Kaisar in January on a one-year contract after departing Luton Town F.C..
The experienced winger is best remembered for his time at Chelsea F.C., where he helped the club win the Premier League title in the 2016/17 season.
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During his international career, Moses made 38 appearances for Nigeria national football team, scoring 12 goals and playing a key role in Nigeria’s triumph at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations.