The frosty diplomatic relations between Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) over travel restrictions took a different turn on Monday as other carriers have been directed by the Middle East country not to board Nigerians whose final destination is Dubai.

The fresh hostility comes amid last week’s reduction of Emirates flight frequency into Nigeria by the Ministry of Aviation.

Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, cancelled the 21 frequencies earlier given to the airline and restricted it to a once-weekly flight into Abuja.

Industry watchers say matters got to a head as part of a retaliatory decision by the UAE to deny Nigerian flag carrier airline – Air Peace from operating to Sharjah near Dubai three times a week; a situation that infuriated the Nigerian government.

The Middle East country, it was learnt, may go a step further by tightening the noose by introducing stringent rules for visa applications for Nigerians willing to visit Dubai for medicals, tourism, and business.

Investigations reveal that other airlines including Ethiopian Airlines, Turkish Air and other international carriers connecting transit flights from their headquarters/hubs into Dubai are refusing to board Nigerians, The Nations reports.

Such carriers, a source hinted, have been directed not to airlift Nigerian passport holders to Dubai.

Following the development, hundreds of passengers are affected by this directive as Ethiopian Airlines on Monday afternoon offloaded their Nigerian passengers to Dubai.

A travel agent confirmed the development, saying passengers who had already booked their tickets were shell shocked when they told them that the UAE had instructed them not to pick passengers from Nigeria through their hubs.

“Our customer currently in the airport about to board Ethiopian Airlines said the airline said that flights have been banned from Nigeria to Dubai,” the agent said.