The Chairman and CEO of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has revealed that as many as or more than 5,000 Nigerian women are stranded in Iraq.

She made this known recently in Lagos at a seminar tagged “Sensitisation and Advocacy Program for Promoting Diaspora Investment Potentials in South-West Nigeria,” organized by NIDCOM in collaboration with G-Consulting International Services Limited.

She stated that most of the women traveled to Iraq to work as caregivers, but on reaching their destination, the conditions there were not what they had expected.

The NIDCOM boss explained to participants at the seminar that there are vast opportunities in Nigeria and advised against migration aimed at seeking greener pastures.

She said, “As I speak with you today, there are about 5,000 women stranded in Iraq. I just dealt with a case last week. A husband sent his wife to Iraq to go and be a caregiver. She’s dead.

“Can you imagine! Now how do you bring the body back? That’s what is troubling the husband. He doesn’t know where to start.

“So we had to intervene. The Nigerian High Commission has been able to intervene. They would do an autopsy to see how she died because she just died mysteriously while being a caregiver.”

At the same time, Dabiri-Erewa said the purpose of the seminar is to sensitize Nigerians to look inward and take advantage of the numerous opportunities available in the country.

The Group Managing Director of G-Consulting, during the seminar, stated that $100 million has been set aside by his firm to help participants who are interested in starting a business or partnering with those in the diaspora.