By Cross Udo, Abuja
The Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria Diaspora Commission, NiDCOM, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, yesterday warned Nigerians, especially students against travelling to troubled Northern Cyprus due to the gross human rights abuses in the European enclave.
The NIDCOM Chairperson said over 20 Nigerian students have been killed in the area despite the warnings to the students to stay away from the place
This came just as Dabiri-Erewa dismissed the fears of Nigerians in the Diaspora that their business interests in the country may be in jeopardy as a result of the prevailing security situation.
Appearing at the Ministerial Media Briefing organised by the Presidential Communications Team at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Dabiri-Erewa acknowledged the insecurity in parts of the country, noting, however, that it is temporary even as she said that the federal government was doing all that is necessary to resolve the situation.
Dabiri-Erewa pointed out that the Nigerian security forces have in recent times been bombarding terrorists in a determined attempt to end their menace, expressing confidence that whoever invests in the country among the Diasporans will have a return for their investments.
The Chairperson, who gave an update on the Commission’s activities, regretted that Nigerians are being killed daily in Northern Cyprus with nobody able to intervene because of the political situation in the European enclave.
Northern Cyprus, officially the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, is a de facto state that comprises the north-eastern part of the island of Cyprus.
Recognised only by Turkey, Northern Cyprus is considered by the international community to be part of the Republic of Cyprus.
She said there was little that could be done diplomatically to resolve the situation of Nigerians there because Northern Cyprus is not recognized by the international community as a country except by Turkey.
Dabiri-Erewa said that the Nigerian government has made it clear that it would not allow any Nigerian to suffer for a crime he did not commit in foreign countries, noting with delight that Nigerians in the Diaspora are excelling in different fields outside the country and making appreciable remittances to the country.
She appealed to Nigerians to desist from making any comments capable of tarnishing the image of the country.
On the warning that Nigerians should avoid Northern Cyprus, she explained that the place does not have a robust mechanism that would enable the Federal Government to pursue justice for the over 20 Nigerian students killed there so far.
According to her, “Honestly, it’s been a lot of problems in Northern Cyprus. So, we had youths come and tell us, ‘Please tell everybody to stop going to Northern Cyprus. We did that some time ago and some people said, ‘how can you tell people not to go.’ And I’ve said it again, if you’re going to Northern Cyprus, think twice about it.
“Over 20 students have been killed over the years, and nothing happened. So, some of these students came themselves and said, they have to embark on an awareness campaign. Don’t go to these places. Northern Cyprus is recognised only by Turkey. It’s not an UN-recognised nation.
“So, we can’t do much. Our students are being killed daily, and nothing is happening. So again, I’m going to appeal that we need to take a strong position, about places like Northern Cyprus.”
She urged Nigerian Students globally to key into its diaspora data portal identification portal to make it easy for foreign missions to identify them during emergencies.
She said, “Data is key. So, we’ve been able to start a diaspora data portal. So, the digital portal is open. The Honourable Minister of State for Foreign Affairs was there to launch it last year. We’re calling on Nigerians abroad to key into the portal.
“And also, we tell our students, we’re doing this because a lot of them don’t want to go to the missions. Wherever you go, let the missions know that you are there. When trouble comes, that’s when you start running around. We saw what happened in Ukraine and during COVID-19. So, we must know where you are at any point in time.”
While allaying the concerns of some Nigerians in the diaspora that their business interests in the country may be truncated by insecurity, Dabiri-Erewa said that the security challenges in the country are temporary.
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Dabiri-Erewa noted that despite the security issue, the country recorded N20bn in remittances in 2021.
“This was an increase from the N17bn recorded in 2020,” she said.
She also assured that the Federal Government was doing its part to restore normalcy as even as the Nigerian security forces have recorded gains in the fight against terrorists recently.
Responding to questions on diaspora voting, the NiDCOM CEO described President Muhammadu Buhari as Diaspora friendly President, stressing that it was the responsibility of the Independent National Electoral Commission, to allow Nigerians abroad to vote in general elections.
She called on Nigerians in the diaspora to lobby lawmakers into setting up the requisite regulatory framework to make it possible.
