THE AFRICAN COURIER. Reporting Africa and its Diaspora! The African Courier is an international magazine published in Germany to report on Africa and the Diaspora African experience. The first issue of the bimonthly magazine appeared on the newsstands on 15 February 1998. The African Courier is a communication forum for European-African political, economic and cultural exchanges, and a voice for Africa in Europe.
PRESS STATEMENT
by Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM)
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“The attention of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), and her Chairman/CEO, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has been drawn to a malicious, mischievous and fabulous story where the leader of the proscribed Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), Uchenna Madu, falsely alleging that NIDCOM is the medium being used by the Federal government to forcefully deport persecuted ‘Biafrans’ (Igbo self-determination activists).
In a statement entitled “Security agents killing our members secretly”, the group alleged that NIDCOM is being used to crack down on pro-Biafra groups leaders in the diaspora.
These and other fabricated stories by this discredited group are false, mischievous and at best another tales by moonlight narrative.
NIDCOM as we know has no such powers nor has such agents of harassment both in Nigeria and in the foreign lands.
In international relations, the process of deportation is a country to country decision which lies with the country’s foreign policy within the purview of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
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It must be pointed out that most countries are clamping down on irregular immigrants irrespective of their faith, ethnicity or nationalities.
Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa has consistently been appealing to Nigerians to obey laws of the countries in which they reside and to be good Ambassadors of Nigeria.
So, the allegation that “the Federal Government is secretly working with some agents of foreign countries to arrest our members in diaspora and deport them to Nigeria for persecution and prosecution”, is a figment of the group imagination.
Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa and her Commission is for all Nigerians irrespective of their tribes or religious inclinations as enshrined in the Act of the Parliament setting up the Commission.”
Signed.
Abdur-Rahman Balogun
Head, Media, Public Relations and Protocols Unit, NIDCOM Abuja
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The Diaspora Commission Act of 2017 established NIDCOM under the supervisory jurisdiction of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “It has the responsibility to coordinate and organise Nigerians in and from the Diaspora to contribute human capital and material resources, including their expertise, for the development of Nigeria and its constituent states”.
“It will also provide a database of Nigerians in various fields and potentialities as resource base for Nigeria and the world to draw from, as well as protect the interest of all Nigerians.”
More about NIDCOM at: https://nidcom.gov.ng/
