From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
The Chairman /CEO Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa has debunked report that stranded Nigerians in Dubai have been abandoned.
According to her, they being profiled by the Nigerian Consulate in Dubai at a holding centre in the country, to ascertained that they were truly Nigerians.
Recall the United Arab Emirates (UAE) reportedly imposed visa restrictions on Nigerians after cult clashes between rival groups Eiye and Aiye erupted in Sharjah part of the country allegedly perpetrated by Nigerians.
The decision by the UAE was allegedly linked to a video that went viral recently, where a group of men with machetes were yelling in an apartment parking lot, chasing one other and damaging public properties.
According to a statement from NIDCOM’s Media, Public Relations, Protocols Unit, Gabriel Odu, the commission boss said this while giving an update on videos on some Nigerians begging to return home from the UAE.
Dabiri-Erewa, assured that once the profilling process is done the consulate and Embassy will brief the Minister of Foreign Affairs and necessary actions will be taken on the next steps.
According to her, “some of them have passports, some of them don’t have passports, some children in the centres have no names, some actually don’t have any form of identification, some don’t even remember the names with which they used to enter the country originally, Some may also have alledgedly committed crimes and may be trying to escape hence the proflling is very necessary”.
Dabiri-Erewa, used the opportunity to call on Nigerians to be law abiding citizens where ever they find themselves and avoid irregular migration, if they must travel they should use the right channels.
In a related development, the Canadian High Commissioner to Nigeria, James Christoff, has hailed Nigerian community in Canada for performing outstandingly.
Christoff, who was on a courtesy visit to Dabiri-Erewa in Abuja, applauded the fact that the community was taking up its own place and contributing in all aspects: economically, culturally, politically and socially in Canada.
The High Commissioner said the visit became necessary because of the growing and impressive Nigerian diaspora population in Canada and the need to collectively harness and channel the good energy to the benefit of both countries.
He he was looking forward to working with in the coming months, in order to shed light to a very important part of Canada’s overall culture bearing in mind that Canada is an immigrants country.
Christoff, also commended Nigeria’s entertainment and creative industry.
Responding, Dabiri-Erewa said there is a huge diaspora population in Canada making Nigeria proud in all endeavours, and are also actively involved in investments and projects back in Nigeria.
She said the commission has put some programmes in place such as the Nigerian Diaspora Investment Summit, the National Diaspora Day, Diaspora Investment Trust fund, Diaspora Housing Programme, Diaspora Data Mapping, among others to engage with Diaporans especially the younger generation to contribute and give back to the country.
The conversation also touched on the recent killings of two Nigerians who were guards at a night club in Canada, with the Ambassador assuring that the matter is being thoroughly investigated.