…urges Nigerians to celebrate positivity, not eneralizations
By Nkechi Eze
The Chairman/CEO of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has appealed to Nigerians to resist the urge to stereotype any ethnic group based on the actions of a few individuals, emphasising that crime has no federal character and should not be used as a tool to malign any particular tribe or region.
Speaking during a live appearance on Arise Newsday on Sunday morning, the NiDCOM boss made a passionate plea for national unity and mutual understanding among Nigerians. She explained that just as Nigeria continues to urge other countries not to judge the entire Nigerian population based on the criminal actions of a few citizens abroad, the same principle must be applied internally.
“We must stop generalising and stereotyping. Crime has no federal character,” she said. “Anyone who commits a crime should be held accountable and punished accordingly. But the few bad should not spoil the numerous good. Nigerians must learn not to judge any ethnic group by the misdeeds of a few individuals.”
Dabiri-Erewa reaffirmed the federal government’s commitment to the protection of Nigerians at home and abroad, stressing that Nigeria would never allow its citizens to be unjustly punished in foreign lands. At the same time, she urged Nigerians in the diaspora to be law-abiding and avoid involvement in illegal activities.
“Nigeria will always stand for its citizens who are innocent, and we will ensure no Nigerian is punished for an offence they did not commit,” she assured. “But we also appeal to all our people to respect the laws of the countries they live in.”
She also provided an update on the situation in the Central African Republic (CAR), where a number of stranded Nigerians were recently rescued. She revealed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed that the rescued Nigerians, now safely in the care of the Nigerian Embassy, be brought back home immediately.
Turning attention to Libya, where human trafficking remains a persistent challenge, Dabiri-Erewa warned Nigerians to be wary of fraudulent agents and traffickers who deceive people with false promises of greener pastures abroad.
“Please stop falling victim to traffickers and criminal agents. These people do not mean well,” she warned.
The NiDCOM Chairman also called on the Nigerian media to play a more proactive role in changing the narrative about Nigeria by focusing on the success stories and contributions of Nigerians both at home and abroad.
“Bad news travels fast. But nobody will celebrate us except ourselves,” she said. “There are countless Nigerians doing exceptional things around the world, let’s shine a light on those stories and promote the good.” She said.
Her remarks come at a time of heightened public discourse on national unity, ethnic profiling, and diaspora relations, and underscore NiDCOM’s ongoing efforts to safeguard the dignity of Nigerians globally while promoting tolerance and inclusivity within the country.
