Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), is being urged to collaborate with the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to track down two Nigerian nationals accused of a massive fraud scheme. Babatunde Shodiya and Yinka Jamiu are alleged to have defrauded medical facilities in Minnesota of $13 million.
Critics have raised concerns over Dabiri-Erewa’s response, accusing her of selectively addressing cases involving Nigerians abroad. Many argue that she has remained conspicuously silent on crimes committed by individuals from her region, including the case of Shodiya and Jamiu, despite widespread outrage on social media. The silence, they say, contrasts with her regular updates on other issues via her X (formerly Twitter) handle.
The FBI, which confirmed that both suspects are Nigerian citizens residing in Nigeria, has officially sought assistance from the EFCC to apprehend them. An EFCC source, who spoke anonymously due to the ongoing investigation, stated, “We have a duty to honor this request, given our long-standing collaboration with the U.S. in tackling cross-border crimes.”
Once captured, the accused will be extradited to the U.S. to face trial, with any assets tied to their illicit activities subject to seizure.
