The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) has advised Nigerians seeking to relocate abroad against illegal migration, describing such journeys as voluntary suicide missions.

The commission’s chairman, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, gave the advice on Wednesday in Abuja, when she received Mercy Oluwagbenga, a 24-year-old lady rescued from Libya.

Ms Oluwagbenga reportedly sent a viral video seeking the help of Mrs Dabiri-Erewa for her rescue from Libya.

NiDCOM, the president of the Nigerian Community in Libya, and Segun Abraham, the founder of Trinity Foundation, collaborated to rescue the girl from Libya.

Ms Oluwagbenga, a student of business administration who dropped out of the University of Ilorin in 2018, reportedly left Nigeria in December 2021 through illegal routes for Libya, where she faced extreme hardship.

When the maltreatment from her employers became unbearable, Ms Oluwagbenga made a distress video call to Mrs Dabiri-Erewa.

After listening to the ordeal of Ms Oluwagbenga in Libya, the NiDCOM chairman warned against illegal migration, describing it as a route to slavery.

Mrs Dabiri-Erewa welcomed Ms Oluwabanga back home, saying many others were not lucky enough to be rescued.

“Yours was because you had already escaped to a private camp, and we were able to locate you. This should be a point of reference to learn from because going to Libya is voluntary suicide, and you will be sold into slavery,” she said.

Ms. Oluwagbenga appreciated the federal government’s swift response to her distress call and promised to join the advocacy against illegal migration to help dissuade Nigerians from embarking on such fruitless journeys.

(NAN)