The Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has urged Nigerians to avoid migrating to countries that are in worse conditions than Nigeria.
In a video shared on X (formerly Twitter), Dabiri-Erewa appealed to Nigerian influencers and bloggers to assist the Federal Government in discouraging citizens from fleeing to such countries. “Please, we appeal to bloggers and influencers. Help us appeal to Nigerians that where you are running to is worse than where you are running from (Nigeria),” she said.
Dabiri-Erewa’s comments came in response to a recent viral video showing Nigerians calling for help from a Malian prison. She mentioned that some of the individuals seen in the video were previously rescued by the Nigerian government and repatriated from Mali but had subsequently returned. “I want to address a viral video of some girls shouting from a prison in Mali, asking to be returned home. Some time ago, the chief of defence staff helped us bring back some girls,” she explained. “We have identified some of these girls as some of those brought back that time. That they found themselves back in Mali is shocking.”
She further appealed for Nigerians to respect the laws of other countries, adding that irregular migration and engaging in criminal activities can have serious consequences. “We need to obey the laws of other countries. Crime and criminality, irregular migration, is very deadly now,” she warned, while assuring that the Nigerian mission in Mali is working to bring those affected back home.
