5,000 Nigerians Stranded in Iraq as Caregivers Face Harsh Realities – Dabiri-Erewa
The Chairman and CEO of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has revealed the alarming plight of over 5,000 Nigerian women stranded in Iraq.
These women, who travelled to the Middle Eastern country under the guise of being caregivers, were met with harsh realities far removed from their expectations.
Dabiri-Erewa made this disclosure in Lagos during a seminar titled “Sensitisation and Advocacy Programme for Promoting Diaspora Investment Potentials in South-West Nigeria,” organised by NIDCOM in collaboration with G-Consulting International Services Limited.
Addressing participants drawn from the six South-West states, Dabiri-Erewa highlighted the dangers of irregular migration and the importance of harnessing Nigeria’s vast investment opportunities.
She lamented the case of a Nigerian woman who was sent to Iraq by her husband as a caregiver but tragically lost her life under mysterious circumstances.
“As I speak with you today, there are about 5,000 women stranded in Iraq. I just dealt with a case last week. A husband sent his wife to Iraq to work as a caregiver. She’s dead. Can you imagine! Now, how do you bring the body back? That’s what is worrying the husband. He doesn’t know where to start,” she recounted.
The Nigerian mission, she noted, is working tirelessly to retrieve the deceased’s body and conduct an autopsy to ascertain the cause of death.
While acknowledging the challenges in Nigeria, Dabiri-Erewa emphasised the numerous untapped opportunities for investment within the country.
She urged Nigerians to focus on these prospects rather than embark on perilous journeys in search of so-called greener pastures.
“This workshop is aimed at enlightening participants on investment opportunities in Nigeria,” she stated, adding that similar sessions would be replicated across the other five geopolitical zones.
Interestingly, Dabiri-Erewa pointed out that while many Nigerians are eager to leave the country, a significant number of African Americans and members of the diaspora are tracing their roots back to Nigeria.
“Yesterday, we received about 14 people who traced their roots and discovered they are Nigerians. Some are Fulani, Igbo, Yoruba. They want to know their villages and are eager to return home to invest in Nigeria,” she revealed.
The event also featured contributions from the Group Managing Director of G-Consulting, Dr. Godfrey Ajayi Sunday, who disclosed plans to mobilise over $100 million in funding to support participants interested in engaging in various businesses.
“There are vast investment opportunities in real estate, agriculture, and other sectors. The aim is to showcase these prospects to the diaspora and encourage them to channel their resources into Nigeria,” Sunday stated.
Other facilitators encouraged participants to abandon the idea of irregular migration, highlighting the immense potential within the Nigerian economy.
Dabiri-Erewa concluded by stressing the importance of local production, stating: “We keep talking about the dollar, but the real issue is what are we producing? If we are not producing anything, we cannot keep complaining.”
The seminar served as a brainstorming session aimed at fostering partnerships between Nigerians at home and in the diaspora, with a focus on building a robust and self-reliant economy.
