Greener Pasture: NIDCOM Boss Warns Nigerians To Avoid  Northern Cyprus

By Akinwale Kasali

Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman/ Chief Executive Officer, Nigeria Diaspora Commission, NIDCOM, has warned Nigerians seeking greener pastures to avoid Northern Cyprus.

Dabiri-Erewa issued the advice as a result of the plight of Nigerians schooling in the Turkish controlled island.

In a statement released by Gabriel Odu, Media, Public Relations and Protocols Unit of NIDCOM, the Commission said the warning was necessary following the recent visit by members of the Nigerian Diaspora Youth Ambassador, which raised an alarm over the plight of Nigerian students in Northern Cyprus.

It was gathered that Nigerian youths are suffering from intense depression as a result of the inhuman treatment meted to them, leading to some of them committing suicide.

David Alozie, President of the Nigerian  Diaspora Youth, who led a four-man delegation to Dabiri-Erewa in Abuja, said the purpose of the visit to the Commission is to appeal for quick intervention on the plight of Nigerian students in Northern Cyprus.

He added that Nigerian students are being racially profiled and deported on arrival at the airport for establishing contact with any individual in Southern Cyprus.

Alozie added that Nigerian students are also forced to pay for tuition in British Pound Sterling whereas other foreign students pay in Turkish Lira (TL).

The Group, has however shown willingness to collaborate with NIDCOM and other relevant agencies to create more awareness on the challenges Nigerian youths are facing in Northern Cyprus.

Alozie said: “Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is not the best place to study, as the majority of the institutions there are not recognized by the European Union (EU) or any country in the world”.

In her reaction, Dabiri-Erewa advised that Northern Cyprus has become a dangerous transit route for migrants, particularly Nigerians stressing that the country is not recognized by any country in the world except Turkey.

She, therefore, stressed the need for further awareness to sensitize Nigerian youths who are leaving the country with the hope of a better education.

The NIDCOM Boss commended the President and his entire team’s efforts so far but stated that “the team has a bigger job to do in creating awareness for youths in Nigeria as it is better to stay in your country alive than risk your life in going to a country where uncountable and unresolved cases of young Nigerians have been and are still being recorded”.

Dabiri-Erewa gave assurance that the Commission will continue to work with relevant agencies like the International Organization for Migration (IOM), Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) and the Parent Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the nagging issue of Northern Cyprus.

“It should be noted that Northern Cyprus is recognized only by the Republic of Turkey, and Nigeria and other countries do not have an Embassy there making it difficult to take Northern Cyprus up with the United Nations or European Union,” she noted.