Nigeria sets up panel on death of 26 women found dead in Mediterranean

18 Novembre 2017

Abuja, Nigeria, November 18 (Infosplusgabon) - After ignoring news of the death of 26 teenage Nigerian migrant girls found dead in the Mediterranean early this month, the Nigerian federal government on Saturday said it has set up a ministerial committee to examine the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.

The committee is chaired by the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the federation.

The bodies of the teenage girls were taken by a Spanish military ship to Italy on 3 November after two separate rescue operations. In both cases, dozens of other migrants, mostly men, were also rescued after they tried to cross to Europe from Libya.

The women were buried on Friday in Italy after autopsies, which found that they died of drowning.

Two of the dead were pregnant and the autopsies found no recent trace of physical or sexual violence.

The silence of the Nigerian government on the deaths and the fact that no Nigerian government official was present at the burial angered some citizens and Civil Society Organisations who criticised the lack of attention and empathy by the central government.

According to a statement from the Presidency, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has kept its sights on the issue and briefed the Presidency on a regular basis since the time the tragic incident came to limelight.

The statement said the government committee is expected to also examine reports of incidents of the sale of Nigerian citizens through slavery and report to the Federal Executive Council within week.

FIN/INFOSPLUSGABON/AIL/ GABON 2017

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