The Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has come under intense scrutiny for her recent actions on social media, sparking public debate about her professionalism and a government official’s public conduct. The controversy began when she appeared to amplify a post on X (formerly Twitter) that contained derogatory and ethnic slurs against Nigerian citizens of South-East extraction, often referred to as Igbos. This incident has drawn widespread condemnation and has prompted a broader conversation about accountability and the use of public platforms.
The incident unfolded after Dabiri-Erewa shared a video of a trafficked Nigerian girl who had been successfully rescued from Libya. In response to this post, an X user with the handle @akerele_s posted a comment that praised the NIDCOM boss but also included vile, dehumanizing language, referring to Igbos as “monkeys” and “children of gorillas.” In a move that shocked many, Dabiri-Erewa did not delete or condemn the hateful comment. Instead, she reposted it with laughing emojis, which was widely seen as a signal of approval and amplification of the toxic message. This action has been viewed by many as a significant lapse in judgment and a betrayal of the public trust placed in her office.
Adding to the controversy, a Nigerian activist named Mallam Jabir has publicly accused Dabiri-Erewa of bias and unprofessionalism. Jabir claims that she blocked him on X after he sent a polite message bringing to her attention the case of Yunusa Halliru, a Nigerian PhD student from Kano State who had been arrested in China for over two months. The activist expressed his frustration in a subsequent tweet, questioning whether her alleged action was because the student was Hausa, and accusing her of bigotry. This separate but related incident has further fueled public criticism and raised serious questions about the impartiality of NIDCOM in its mission to protect all Nigerians abroad, regardless of their ethnic background.
These allegations have collectively ignited a firestorm of online reactions, with many Nigerians expressing their support for both the Igbo community targeted by the slurs and for Mallam Jabir. Social media commentators and citizens alike have been vocal in their criticism of Dabiri-Erewa’s alleged conduct, with many questioning her fitness to head a commission responsible for the welfare of the diverse Nigerian diaspora. The incidents have brought to light concerns about the leadership and effectiveness of NIDCOM, especially in cases involving the human rights and legal issues of Nigerians in other countries.
