A human rights group, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has commended the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) for rescuing Nigerians stranded in Central Africa Republic (CAR) and bringing them to the safe premises of the Nigerian Embassy in that country. The group appealed to stakeholders within and outside Nigeria to assist NIDCOM in bringing the miners to Nigeria.
MURIC gave the commendation in a message signed by its Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, on Tuesday, 12th August, 2025.
The message reads:
“It will be recalled that a viral video surfaced a few days ago showing some miners from Nigeria calling for help. They had allegedly been tricked into travelling to Central Africa Republic (CAR) to work at the mines and they ended up being stranded.
“A Chinese national and a Nigerian agent reportedly hired them for work in that country and they abandoned them there without paying their renumeration for 11 months. Traumatised, distressed and debilitated, they had called for help.
“The stranded Nigerians were swiftly rescued through the intervention of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) under the able and dynamic leadership of Abike Dabiri, its chairman and Chief Executive Officer (https://punchng.com/stranded-nigerian-miners-in-car-arrive-embassy-nidcom/).
“MURIC extols the head of NIDCOM for the good leadership trait exhibited by her. In the same vein, we laud the staff of the Nigerian embassy in Bangui, CAR as well as the country’s security agencies for locating the miners and escorting them to the embassy. In particular, the embassy staff deserve encomiums for their hospitality.
“But it is not over until it is over. We appeal to both local and international stakeholders to assist NIDCOM in order to finally bring the miners to Nigeria. The Federal Government of Nigeria is capable of mobilizing Nigerian airlines, philanthropists, business moguls and international stakeholders like the International Organisation For Migration (IOM) to assist in making this a fait accompli.
“MURIC calls for the immediate location, arrest and prosecution of the agent who lured them into the job scam. Even the Chinese collaborator should be traced by Interpol and made to face the music. No Nigerian deserves to go through this type of hardship,” the group said.