Over 100 Nigerians who were recently freed from jail in the United Arab Emirates have voiced concerns that the federal government is being blackmailed (UAE).
Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), urged the Nigerians who entered the Middle Eastern nation illegally and are currently stuck there not to further their predicament by using media blackmail.
In response to a blog post titled "300 Nigerians Abandoned in Dubai as NIDCOM, NAPTIP, and Foreign Affairs Relax Evacuation Effort," Abike stated that it was regrettable that some Nigerians still found themselves as victims of this irregular immigration despite numerous warnings from the Federal Government of Nigeria through its relevant agencies on the consequences of doing so.
The declaration said;
In line with its citizens’ diplomacy, the Federal Government had approved the evacuation of over 300 Nigerians stranded in the UAE. Regrettably, many of those affected have not been totally cooperative as they refused to follow the laid down procedures.
“Investigations also revealed that over 100 Nigerians who had served various jail sentences (ranging from drugs to credit card frauds, robberies etc.) suddenly landed at the holding centres , demanding of the Nigerian consulate in Dubai to “immediately “bring them back. Their voices have been the loudest.
“Dabiri-Erewa said rather than complying with the directives of the Nigerian consulate in Dubai ,some Nigerians were busy pursuing a media blackmail of the Federal Government as well as the UAE government. This media blackmail, she said, will make an already bad case worse, noting that rules on such cases would not be circumvented.
“Recalling several warnings to Nigerians, particularly on the zero tolerance of the UAE for the consequences of flouting their rules, she added that the allegation that Nigerians were abandoned in Dubai is completely untrue and misleading as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Nigerian Mission have been working assiduously with the UAE authorities to assist over 300 Nigerians stranded in the country for various reasons, ranging from overstay, lost passports, lack of documentation especially in the case of infants, to pending cases with the Emirati Police.
“She advised Nigerians so affected to comply with the laid down rules and regulations as stipulated by the UAE and the Nigeria Consulate in Dubai , and await further communication from officials of the mission who have constantly visited them at the holding centre”