Kehinde Fajobi
The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) has revealed that over 5,000 Nigerian women are currently stranded in Iraq after being sent as caregivers.
NiDCOM Chairman, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, disclosed this during a seminar in Lagos aimed at promoting diaspora investment potentials in South-West Nigeria.
She lamented the plight of these women, citing a case where a woman sent to Iraq by her husband died mysteriously.
โAs I speak with you today, there are about 5,000 women stranded in Iraq,โ Dabiri-Erewa said.
โI just dealt with a case last week. A husband sent his wife to Iraq to go and be a caregiver. Sheโs dead. Can you imagine! Now how do you bring the body back? Thatโs what is worrying the husband. He doesnโt know where to start. So we had to intervene.โ
The commission is working with the Nigerian Mission to conduct an autopsy and assist in repatriating the womanโs body.
Dabiri-Erewa stressed that while challenges exist in Nigeria, there are untapped opportunities for investment and urged Nigerians to avoid irregular migration.
โThereโs no point in seeking a better life and then dying in the process. This workshop is our own little way of saying there are opportunities in Nigeria,โ she said, noting that the initiative would extend to other geopolitical zones.
She also highlighted a growing trend of African Americans tracing their roots back to Nigeria and seeking opportunities to invest.
โWhile some people want to japa, many African Americans want to come back,โ she said.
Dr. Godfrey Ajayi Sunday, Group Managing Director of G-Consulting, announced plans to mobilise over $100 million to support Nigerians and diaspora investors in real estate, agriculture, and other sectors.
Facilitators at the seminar encouraged participants to explore opportunities within Nigeria rather than resort to irregular migration.