The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) has announced that the Nigerian girls who were recently detained overseas have been released and are currently travelling back to Nairobi following diplomatic intervention.
The commission’s confirmation comes after widespread outrage on social media over a viral video showing the young women in detention, with many Nigerians urging the Federal Government to intervene in the matter.
An Instagram user, #Queenbethia, had earlier shared the footage on Sunday, drawing attention to the incident and appealing to relevant authorities to take urgent action.
In the post, she wrote: “Pls tag every relevant authority because this is nonsense !!!! This cannot keep happening!! Mauritius is notorious for this !!!”
She also claimed that the girls had remained stranded at the Mauritius airport since July 31, 2026.
Providing an update on Monday, NiDCOM, through a statement issued by its Digital Media Unit, confirmed that the girls had regained their freedom and had begun their journey back to Nairobi.
According to the commission: “The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) wishes to inform the public that the Nigerian girls who were previously detained have been released.
“They are currently on their way back to Nairobi.”
NiDCOM further disclosed that its Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, is working closely with Nigeria’s diplomatic mission to ensure the incident is thoroughly addressed with the authorities involved.
The statement said: “The Chairman/CEO of NiDCOM, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, is actively engaging the relevant Nigerian Embassy who have formally taken up this matter with the authorities of the country concerned, to ensure full accountability and prevent any recurrence.”
Reaffirming its commitment to safeguarding Nigerians abroad, the commission stated:
“NiDCOM, in line with Mr President’s Renewed Hope Agenda, remains committed to the welfare and protection of all Nigerians home and abroad.”
Despite confirming the girls’ release, the commission did not reveal their identities or provide details of the circumstances that led to their detention. It also withheld the name of the country involved and did not indicate when the girls are expected to arrive in either Nairobi or Nigeria.
As of the time of the announcement, authorities in Mauritius, including airport officials, had yet to issue any official explanation regarding the incident or the reasons for the girls’ prolonged detention.
(Ripples)