Abike Dabiri-Erewa
5,000 Nigerian women stranded in Iraq, Dabiri-Erewa says
The Chairman and CEO of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has disclosed that more than 5,000 Nigerian women are stranded in Iraq.
Dabiri-Erewa spoke in Lagos at a seminar tagged “Sensitisation and Advocacy Program for Promoting Diaspora Investment Potentials in South-West Nigeria,” organized by NIDCOM in collaboration with G-Consulting International Services Limited.
According to her, most of the women traveled to Iraq to work as caregivers, but on reaching their destination, the conditions were worse and terrible.
She maintained that there are vast opportunities in Nigeria and advised Nigerians against migration aimed at seeking greener pastures.
“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 go and be a caregiver. She’s dead.
“Can you imagine! Now how do you bring the body back? That’s what is troubling the husband. He doesn’t know where to start.
“So we had to intervene. The Nigerian High Commission has been able to intervene. They would do an autopsy to see how she died because she just died mysteriously while being a caregiver,” she said.
Dabiri-Erewa emphasised that the purpose of the seminar is to sensitize Nigerians to look inward and take advantage of the numerous opportunities available in the country.
The Group Managing Director of G-Consulting, during the seminar, stated that $100 million has been set aside by his firm to help participants who are interested in starting a business or partnering with those in the diaspora.