Nigeria Expresses Shock Over Rushed Burial Of 26 Female Migrants In Italy
BY AMOS DUNIA, ABUJA – The Federal Government of Nigeria on Monday decried the sudden burial of the 26 African girls drowned in the Mediterranean Sea by Italian authorities nine days ahead of earlier slated date.
The government position was made known at a joint news conference by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Hon Abike Dabiri-Erewa and a representative of NAPTIP, Mr. Abdulrahim Shaibu during which they expressed shock and surprise at the development.
A statement by the Special Assistant on Media to Hon Dabiri-Erewa, Mr. Abdur-Rahman Balogun said the Italian Embassy had earlier indicated to the Director General of NAPTIP that the burial will take place in Salerno, Italy on November 26, 2017, but went ahead with the burial on November 17, 2017.
Dabiri–Erewa said the Federal Government’s letter on the unfortunate development had been sent to the Italian envoy in Nigeria.
Dabiri-Erewa asked; “Why were they hurriedly buried nine days before the date communicated to the DG NAPTIP by the Italian Embassy without any information to Nigerian Government.”
The Director General of NAPTIP is currently in Italy to engage with the Italian authorities as they prepare for the burial on the November 26, 2017.
The Presidential Aide further said that information available indicates only three of the girls are said to be identified as Nigerians amidst allegations the girls may have been assaulted and ill-treated by their traffickers.
She also described the issue of Africans sold by Africans in Libya to Europe, as reported by the CNN in a report titled “People for sale; where lives are auctioned for $400” as unacceptable, despicable and inhuman.
Dabiri-Erewa said the unfortunate incident should be condemned by anyone who is human and has blood running through their veins.
The Federal Government therefore appealed to the African Union, European Union, the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), International Organization on Migration (IOM), and the Economic Community for West African States (ECOWAS), to intervene in the matter and tackle this issue of slavery happening in Libya and also mete out sanctions to the perpetrators of such heinous crime.
