Stranded in Italy: Homeless Kogi woman appeals for deportation after losing job, bank access

A Nigerian woman identified as Gift from Kogi State has been found stranded and homeless in Italy after reportedly losing her job and having her bank accounts blocked on allegations of criminal fraud.

A Nigerian woman identified simply as Gift, originating from Kogi State, has been found stranded and homeless in Italy after allegedly losing her employment and having her bank accounts frozen by local financial institutions. The harrowing development has sparked deep concern across various social media platforms following the emergence of a viral video showing the woman sleeping exposed by the roadside. In response to the circulating footage, an X user identified as ÓMÒÉLÉRÍNJÁRÉ issued a public distress call to Nigerian authorities, stating: “Urgent Appeal! Nigerian lady, Gift from Kogi State is stranded in Italy. Her bank accounts have been blocked, and her job terminated. She says returning to Nigeria is now her only option.” The netizen further implored the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Embassy of Nigeria in Italy to swiftly establish her exact physical coordinates and provide emergency consular assistance.

In the video documentation obtained by SaharaReporters, the visibly distressed woman confirmed her current state of destitution but uniquely insisted that she was only looking forward to returning home rather than seeking financial handouts from private citizens. She explained that she had been hit with severe criminal profiling in the European nation, which effectively paralyzed her ability to survive independently or access her hard-earned funds. Explaining her mindset and immediate predicament, she stated: “I don’t want anybody’s helps. My family are okay. I always hear from them. My phone is not with me. I have little problem. I am just waiting for who will take me back to Nigeria because they told me that I am fraud and I am criminal. I said I am homeless. I don’t have money. I am waiting for police to deport me back.”

The precise administrative or legal circumstances surrounding the blocking of her bank accounts and the sudden termination of her employment contract could not be independently verified at the time of compiling this report. Incidents of migration bottlenecks and rapid profiling often leave undocumented or legally embattled foreign nationals highly vulnerable to sudden homelessness in major European municipal areas. As public pressure mounts online, civil society groups are urging the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) to collaborate with the foreign mission in Rome to ensure Gift’s safety and facilitate a dignified repatriation process in line with her expressed wishes.

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