The chairman of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa has stated that 20 out of the 21 Nigerian drug peddlers on deathrow in Indonesia prison are from Anambra while only one is from Edo State.
Abike Dabiri-Erewa disclosed this in an interview with The Cable in which she also revealed the efforts by the commission towards curbing the rate of drug trafficking.
Responding to questions asking if the commission provides counselling to Nigerians arrested for drug trafficking on foreign countries, she said:
“The commission is planning that. So, with the commission on board, we are going to take it embassy by embassy. For example, if you are going to Indonesia and you carry drugs, you are dying. There is no debate. We went to Indonesia prison some years back, 21 Nigerians were on death row, and 20 were from one state – 20 were from Anambra state, and one from Edo. And when you get to the (Indonesian) airport, it is written all over, “penalty for drugs is death”.
So, from the point of leaving, we are going to be working with the NDLEA, with the embassies; in fact, as you collect your passport, they will tell you if you carry drugs, you are going to die. So, that is what the commission will be doing from country to country.
In India, for instance, if you say you are going to study, and you are going as a student. If you finish your education and you stay there, they will lock you up. India will not give you work. They will not employ you. So, we are going to have an information center that will be dealing with all those issues. We are going to have a place that you can call if you are in distress. That is almost at the final stage, so yes, it is important to share information. But I tell you, despite sharing this information, some will still do (what they want). But at least, let us know that we have given out all this information”.
