 has reiterated its warning against irregular migration and unverified job offers overseas.){kind=link}
The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) has warned Nigerians against irregular migration and unverified job offers abroad.
The Commission issued the warning when it received a Nigerian victim of human trafficking and labour exploitation, Mrs. Busola Victoria Alale, who recently returned from Cairo, Egypt.
NiDCOM urged citizens to always seek proper guidance and verify employment opportunities through appropriate government channels before embarking on foreign travel. It said that “due diligence remains key to avoiding exploitation.”
According to a statement issued by the Head Media, Public Relations and Protocols Unit NiDCOM, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, Alale, a 41-year-old indigene of Ogun State, was received at the Lagos Airport by the Head of NiDCOM’s Lagos Office, Mr. Dipo Odebowale, on behalf of the Commission’s Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Abike Dabiri-Erewa.
Her return was facilitated by an anonymous philanthropist who, after learning of her plight, covered the full cost of her repatriation, amounting to several millions of naira.
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Speaking on arrival, Alale recounted her ordeal, describing the harsh and inhumane conditions she endured while working as a domestic staff in Cairo.
She said that she was “subjected to extremely long working hours, often beginning at 9:00 a.m. and continuing until 4:00 a.m. the following day without rest, while moving between multiple employers within a single day.’
She further alleged that the agent responsible for her travel collected all her earnings.
Prior to her journey, Alale said she ran a small frozen foods business that eventually collapsed, prompting her decision to seek opportunities abroad. However, she expressed deep regret over the move, noting that “the promises of a better life turned out to be deceptive.”
She cautioned Nigerian youths, particularly young women, to be wary of enticing job offers abroad, especially domestic work opportunities that may expose them to exploitation and abuse.
Alale also expressed gratitude to Dr. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, the anonymous donor who funded her return, and the Acting Nigerian High Commissioner in Cairo, Ambassador Adesoye, for their roles in facilitating her rescue and safe return.