After calls from various sectors about the lack of female appointments, President Muhammadu Buhari has appointed Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Diaspora Commission.
Dr Bukola Saraki, the Senate President of Nigeria, read the president’s letter to members of the chamber at the plenary on Tuesday in which the President sought legislative approval for the appointment.
Dabiri-Erewa, who is currently the Senior Special Adviser to the President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, was a member of the House of Representatives.
She has been vocal in recent times about illegal migration out of Nigeria as she advised Nigerian youths against the act as the Federal Government has established many openings and opportunities for empowerment.
Dabiri-Erewa made the call in Ibadan last month while presenting a lecture at a programme organised by the Faculty of Education, University of Ibadan to commemorate the university’s 70th Anniversary.
The former presidential aide said in spite of the hopeless situation being painted of the country, irregular migration damaged the national reputation.
According to Dabiri-Erewa, the dangers and risks involved in illegal migration are more than the problems one can possibly face in Nigeria.
Narrating some of the pathetic situations and ordeals that illegal migrants face, she said: “They want to go to Europe and they ended up in Libya. President Muhammadu Buhari constituted a committee sent to Libya, the situation is the worst thing I have ever seen in my life. 
If you go to see them, there is no human being that will not cry but in spite of the efforts, many Nigerians are still languishing in Libya cells. 
“We brought about 10,000, though we were told they were 6,000, they were begging that we should just bring them back home. One girl said she was 14 years old and about 40 people have slept with her; they used men as slaves, they used them on the farms. 
There are still underground cells we could not reach then; so, up till now we still have many Nigerians in Libya cells. She said: “Unfortunately, it is a journey that begins with hope but end with despair. 
It is painful that Nigeria ranks highest in the statistics of irregular migration; communities have lost able bodied youths, valuable assets and properties to irregular migration.” 
She explained that the menace of irregular migration by Nigerians had called for actions from different sectors, including the United Nations. 
She said: “My office is inundated with petitions and letters on daily basis crying for ‘Save our Souls’ messages from stranded migrants and at times, from their families back home. Do you think this is a right appointment? Let’s hear your thoughts in the comments section.
If you go to see them, there is no human being that will not cry but in spite of the efforts, many Nigerians are still languishing in Libya cells. 
“We brought about 10,000, though we were told they were 6,000, they were begging that we should just bring them back home. One girl said she was 14 years old and about 40 people have slept with her; they used men as slaves, they used them on the farms. 
There are still underground cells we could not reach then; so, up till now we still have many Nigerians in Libya cells. She said: “Unfortunately, it is a journey that begins with hope but end with despair. 
It is painful that Nigeria ranks highest in the statistics of irregular migration; communities have lost able bodied youths, valuable assets and properties to irregular migration.” 
She explained that the menace of irregular migration by Nigerians had called for actions from different sectors, including the United Nations. 
She said: “My office is inundated with petitions and letters on daily basis crying for ‘Save our Souls’ messages from stranded migrants and at times, from their families back home. Do you think this is a right appointment? Let’s hear your thoughts in the comments section.
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