SAHARANEWS – Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, has explained how the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Ibrahim Isah Pantami, allegedly chased her staff away from their office at the Nigeria Communications Commission, NCC, with armed men and locked up their personal items.
The NIDCOM boss said the office complex was allocated to her commission by the NCC, adding that they were evicted just after two days.
Dabiri-Erewa , who lamented that her commission was yet to have a permanent office after one year, said, even her printers and laptops were still in the office complex locked up by the minister.
Addressing reporters in a viral video, “As for me, as long as I have people I can work with and for the Diaspora Commission, I have a pool of amazing young men and women that are determined to work. So, the zeal actually amazes me.
“So, it’s about people showing that commitment and having that vision that ‘you know what, I’ll play my part no matter the challenges,” she began.
“We won’t be bothered by these challenges but I hope we resolve these challenges. One year we don’t even have an office.
“The office we got, given to us by the NCC, we were actually driven away by the honourable Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Isah Pantami.
“Within two days he drove us out. The place was given to us by NCC. You know we just help each other, NCC as a government agency said there’s a place we can settle in.
“And just as we settled in, I was in Ethiopia when I got a call and I thought it was a joke. I came back from Ethiopia on Thursday and this happened on Tuesday and by the time I went to the office on Friday, armed men with guns have taken over the place.
“I thought it was a joke but here is the thing: I’m a government employee so is he. I don’t want to raise any dust about this. I’ve written to the appropriate government authorities, I’ve complained officially but we’ll let it be. He wants the place, let him take it.
“The office is still there and a whole is still vacant. As I speak with you all our items are still locked up. I don’t have computer. I don’t have printers. Everything has been locked up. So after COVID-19 I hope we can get a place and move in.