Dabiri-Erewa to VeryDarkMan: I’ve Helped Many, But Trafficking Isn’t My Mandate

Abike Dabiri-Erewa, the Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), has responded to social media influencer VeryDarkMan, following his emotional plea for the urgent rescue of Nigerian girls allegedly trafficked to Ivory Coast.

In a passionate video posted on his X (formerly Twitter) account, VeryDarkMan recounted the trauma he experienced after meeting the trafficked girls, saying, “Since I left Ivory Coast, my life has become something else. I hear cries in my sleep… I am depressed… I give you 1 week to bring back these girls.”

His emotional appeal quickly gained traction online, but some users pointed out that he may have directed his demands at the wrong authority.

Dabiri-Erewa later took to her own X page to respond, clarifying the limits of her role at NIDCOM. “I guess it’s a sign of efficiency as a mother. I have reacted several times to save several souls but trafficking is not my core mandate,” she wrote.

While she highlighted her record of helping distressed Nigerians abroad, she made it clear that issues related to human trafficking fall under the purview of other government agencies, not NIDCOM. Her statement has since sparked broader discussions about which institutions are responsible for addressing human trafficking and how best to coordinate such efforts.