The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) has issued a stern warning to Nigerians against seeking dangerous migration routes in search of “greener pastures.”
This warning follows a viral video showing Nigerians stranded in Libya, pleading for evacuation assistance. NiDCOM addressed the issue in a statement on Tuesday, noting that the video will be investigated and that the matter has been reported to the National Security Adviser, who leads the multi-agency evacuation team.
The Commission highlighted that over 10,000 Nigerians were evacuated from Libya a few years ago, following a memo by Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, which was approved by the then-President. This evacuation was carried out by a coalition of multi-agency teams formed specifically to assist Nigerians stranded in Libya.
“For the umpteenth time, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa issued a clear warning to Nigerians to avoid these perilous migration routes, but unfortunately, this advice was not heeded,” the statement emphasized.
The Commission further noted that the International Organization for Migration and the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants, and Internally Displaced Persons have already evacuated 2,467 Nigerians from Libya in 15 flights between January and September 2024. Despite these efforts, many Nigerians continue to return to Libya and end up stranded again.
NiDCOM reiterated its warning against dangerous migration pathways and called for the arrest, naming, and shaming of traffickers responsible for exploiting these victims. “We urge Nigerians to avoid these deadly migration routes and call for traffickers to be held accountable,” the statement concluded.