The Chairman/CEO Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa has confirmed that seven out of eight Nigerians who participated in the #ENDSARS protest in Egypt on October 18 will be deported to the country for lack of resident permits/Visas.
Chairman/CEO Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM)
According to her, the Egyptian authorities say the only Nigerian among them who has residency permit will get final clearance from the Egyptian Interior Minister, Mahmoud Tawfik after signing an undertaking not to get involved in any unauthorized activities while still in the country.
“The Nigerian mission in Cairo has had extensive deliberations with the Cairo Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Interior as well as the Diplomatic Police, adding that the eight detained Nigerians, four men and four women, were assured of decent treatment while in detention.’’
The NIDCOM boss, however, denied the allegation that the Federal government of Nigeria is involved in their arrest.
She also explained that the Nigerian mission in Egypt is still pleading for leniency on behalf of the seven Nigerians slated for deportation adding that the Nigerians were not arrested at the Nigerian Embassy but a different location.
Meanwhile, Hon. Dabiri-Erewa appealed to Nigerians abroad to be good ambassadors of the country by obeying the laws of their respective host countries.
However, she commended Nigerians in diaspora who have conducted themselves in a disciplined and peaceful manner during their protest for an end to police brutality in Nigeria, reiterating the President’s commitment to implementing the five point demand, and urged Nigerian youths to embrace dialogue as their voices can definitely not be ignored.
