NiDCOM Boss Abike Dabiri Urges Cape Verde To Release 6 Detained Nigerian Tourists

Abike Dabiri-Erewa, chairperson of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), has urged Cape Verde’s authorities to release a group of Nigerian tourists who were recently detained in the country.

The six tourists — David James Udoh, Lily Dada, Oghenero Adaware, Sherifat Abimbola Ogundairo, and Jesutomi Aina — had traveled from Senegal to Cape Verde for a vacation. But things took a turn when they arrived.

According to reports, they were stopped during immigration checks, accused of not having enough funds to support their stay, and had their phones taken away.

The travelers had booked the trip through a travel company called Ìrìn Travels, which has since spoken out about how the group is being treated.

Family members of the detained tourists say they’re worried sick and are calling on the Nigerian government and human rights groups to step in quickly.

In a statement released on Wednesday by NiDCOM’s spokesperson, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, Dabiri-Erewa said the six Nigerians are being held in an immigration camp at the airport and are not in good condition.

Dabiri-Erewa added that one of the tourists is reportedly dealing with a health issue and doesn’t have access to his medication.

She appealed directly to the Cape Verdean immigration authorities to treat the tourists humanely and arrange for their return to Senegal so they can make their way back to Nigeria.

“We appeal to the immigration authorities in Cape Verde to please treat the tourists with respect and dignity and put them on the next immediate return flight to Dakar for onward connection back to Nigeria.

“The families of these young Nigerians, ranging between 25 and 31 years, have been expectedly worried about the safety of their children.

“The matter has also been reported to the Consular and Migration Directorate in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” the statement reads.

As of the time of this report, Cape Verdean officials have yet to respond to the claims or provide any explanation about the situation.

KanyiDaily recalls that NiDCOM boss Abike Dabiri-Erewa previously reacted to a video of Nigerians allegedly stranded and detained in an unknown prison in Libya.