In a dramatic twist, the Federal Government says it is ‘surprised and shockd’ over the ‘sudden burial’ of 26 Nigerian female migrants that died at sea while trying to reach Europe.
The Italian government had on Friday, November 17, 2017 held a funeral in Salerno, Italy for the young women.
But, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, during a press briefing with Mr Abdulrahim Shaibu, representative of National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons Mr Abdulrahim Shaibu, representative of National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, in Abuja on Monday, described the dead as “26 African girls” while accusing the Italian authorities of burying the deceased “nine days ahead of the slated date.”
In the statement by her Special Assistant on Media, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, the presidential aide said: “The Italian Embassy earlier indicated to the DG NAPTIP that the burial will take place in Salerno, Italy on Nov. 26, 2017, but however went ahead with the burial on November, 17th 2017.
“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’’, they asked
The duo said the the DG of NAPTIP, Bar. Julie Okah-Donli, is currently in Italy to engage with the Italian authorities as they prepare for the burial on the Nov. 26.
Also, information available indicates that only three of the girls are said to be identified as Nigerians amidst allegations that the girls may have been assaulted and ill-treated by their traffickers.
“On 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”, this is totally unacceptable, despicable, and inhumane and should be condemned by anyone who is human and has blood running through their veins.
They 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.
Our 26 daughters are being buried in Italy today. Oh that this would be the LAST TIME we’d lose Daughters of Nigeria in such shamefully tragic manner on the Mediterranean Sea! ?? pic.twitter.com/ZzqZ5BdPDs
— Oby Ezekwesili (@obyezeks) November 17, 2017
The 2 coffins with the blue flowers are for 2 of the 26 women who were pregnant pic.twitter.com/6JbAKXW6fH
— Paraic O’Brien (@paraicobrien) November 17, 2017
Good morning. I’m in Salerno (south of Naples) to cover the funerals of the 26 Nigerian women (mainly teenagers) who drowned crossing Med on the 3rd Nov. pic.twitter.com/SEXvyjRJ3f
— Paraic O’Brien (@paraicobrien) November 17, 2017