We’ll rescue Nigerians mistakenly jailed abroad – Dabiri-Erewa

The Chairman/CEO, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, NIDCOM, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, says the group is making efforts to compile a comprehensive list of Nigerians wrongfully arrested and imprisoned in foreign countries for crime they did not commit.

She disclosed this at a closed door meeting with members of the Counselling and Rehabilitation of Prisoners Initiative (CAROPI), a non-governmental organisation in Abuja.

She said that the Commission had been to several countries such as Brazil, South-Africa, Togo and Benin Republic to facilitate the release of some Nigerians wrongfully arrested and incarcerated.

Dabiri highlighted a situation in Brazil where a 74-year-old woman was wrongfully arrested and that the commission was able to effect her release but that she died afterwards.

The NIDCOM boss stated that as Nigerians travel out of their home country they should shun any act of criminality.

She welcomed the CAROPI team and assured them of collaborative partnership with NIDCOM

The President of the NGO, Dr Hajiya Rabia Y.H. Ceng, said many Nigerians had been victims of wrongful arrest and incarceration in many of the countries she had travelled to, noting that this must be addressed forthwith.

Other members of the team expressed optimism for a robust working relationship with NIDCOM in areas of legal assistance, reintegration and rehabilitation.