- The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) Chairman, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa appealed to Nigerians to stop fleeing to worse countries
- She mentioned that some Nigerians who were evacuated from Mali are among the girls shouting for help from a prison in Mali in a viral video
- Nigerians commend her for a job well done, others advise that people in need of evacuation be charged for it
The chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa has appealed to Nigerians to stop migrating to countries that are in worse conditions than Nigeria.
She said this in a video posted on her X handle, @abikedabiri, on Wednesday, October 2. While addressing the viral video of Nigerians calling for help from a prison in Mali, the NIDCOM boss said some girls who were previously evacuated by the Nigerian Government returned to Mali.
In her words: “I want to address again, a viral video going around about some girls shouting from a prison in Mali asking to be returned back home. Some time ago, the Chief of Defense Staff actually helped us to bring back some girls.
“We have identified some of those girls are some of those girls that were brought back that time, that they found themselves back in Mali is shocking. In as much as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has instructed that anywhere Nigerians are stranded, we have to ensure that they are back, it is also wrong to commit crime and criminality.
“ We want to appeal that we need to obey laws in other countries. Crime, criminality and irregular migration is very deadly now.
“As much as the mission in Mali is working to see how many people they can bring back, please, bloggers, influencers, help us to appeal to Nigerians that where they are running to is even worse than where you are running away from.”
Nigerians react to Dabiri-Erewa’s plea
Many Nigerians commended Hon. Abike Dabiri for a job well done. Some Nigerians advised that such people be charged a fee for their evacuation as it will serve as a deterrent for them and others. Others pointed out that Nigerians continue to go to worse countries because they love money and have to make it by any means necessary.
Here are some of the comments:
@Qladele posted: “You're doing a fantastic job 👏🏼”
@GuyMr0 posted: “Thanks for what you do, Ma’am. I just hope they won’t twist this video because everyone involved is from a particular region in Nigeria.”
@obaino_ posted: “It's not easy to survive abroad we all know. But what kind of country are you running where everyone feels they have to leave the country in order to survive? Even our president is looking for every excuse to leave the country.”
@OyinAtiBode posted: “Thank you madam and thanks to President Tinubu for the instruction.”
@oluwatayofem posted: “We cant be doing the same thing and be expecting different results. People who found their ways back to all these hostile places should be made to face the consequences of their actions. We can’t continue to encourage people with bad behaviors.”
@tonysaint1234 posted: “Abike, everything isn't money. If you can tell yourself the truth, you should acknowledge that Nigeria has been made a hell by the APC administration, especially Tinubu's administration.”
@bilimaffy posted: “Without mincing words, it takes a great deal of dedication and loyalty to home country, to do what you do ma. Our people would be unjust to say otherwise. It’s so heartbreaking to see government put in so much resources and manpower to return them back home, only to return again.”
@Iledare posted: “I don’t know how we rehabilitate them after they are brought to Nigeria-maybe the process is making them return. If they serve some prison times they will learn to stay in their country. Or we put them in vocational centers without access to international passport to travel.”
@j94626377 posted: “The problem of Nigerians is that they too like to worship money that’s why small girls and small boys everyone of them wants to make money no matter the means I have not seen another African nationality doing this stuff of money must be made for me I don’t pity them anymore.”
@scephyblackboy posted: “That is why some countries in the West charge for evacuation.. if you charge them for evacuation either before they return or when they arrive, a lot of them won't return. Some of these faces would still try Libya when you rescue them. It is well.”
@k_olusola posted: “We have the most useless Foreign Affairs Ministry, dem dey use their uselessness drag Abike into matters that ordinarily no suppose concern her. Sorry madam, there is little you can do without a functioning MFA.”
@IEginic posted: “Some will still find their way back as soon as possible even when you bring them back to Nigeria. I, in collab. with the Nigerian Embassy, brought many back when I was there in 1992-97. But many still find their way back after. The cabal in that place no be small.”
@KazanOgbomon posted: “Some of them are unfortunately victim so circumstances, if Tinubu makes Nigeria good to live in, people will not venture outside looking for what is not misplaced.
Even when Nigeria was good, Tinubu was part of those dealing stuffs talk more of when Nigeria is ruined!”
“Them go feel it”: UAE allegedly deports 400 Nigerians
Meanwhile, TheRadar earlier reported that about 400 Nigerians, including 310 males and 90 females, were deported from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), according to a report.
The announcement was made by the Nigerian Television Authority NTA via their X handle, @NTANewsNow on Wednesday, September 11.