Death onboard Egyptair: FG must force respect of Nigerians globally — Meshioye family

THE family of RemilekunToyosi Meshioye who died onboard an Egyptair Flight MS 876 on Monday, September 4, 2023 from Lagos to Cairo, has described as scandalous, the statement attributed to  the airline’s General Manager, Mr Majdi Al Aridi, that the deceased died on transit and not on board as against the claims by the family.

Meshioye family’s latest outburst came as a response to the Egyptair general manager’s submission during his meeting with the chairman, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Honourable AbikeDabiri-Erewa, in Abuja

The family wondered what Mr Aridi meant by saying the deceased “died on transit and not on board,” while Egyptair is still in possession of the luggage and documents of the deceased.

“At this moment, we wish to note that, not only Remilekun’s family, but Nigerians are asking, Would Egyptair treat an American or Westerner the way they have treated Remilekun and her family?” The Federal Government of Nigeria needs to wipe this shame off our nation and make with Remilekun’s case an example of how Nigeria will force the respect of its citizens anywhere in the world,”the family said in a statement.

The statement, issued by Mrs Olufunmilola Olaniyi-Alabi, based in Leeds, United Kingdom, on behalf of the Meshioye family, accused the Egyptair general manager of making series of lies at the meeting held with NiDCOM in response to their petition on the death of Remilekun aboard the airline’s flight on September 12.

The Meshioye family described as lies, the statement attributed to the Egyptair general manager that both Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Nigeria Embassy in Cairo are working out the modalities to bring back the corpse to the country, .

“Let me affirm or re-affirm the following: the family of Remilekun has not received any formal message from Cairo (whether from Egyptair, Nigerian Embassy in Cairo, or Egyptian Foreign Affairs Ministry) regarding the bringing back of the corpse to Nigeria.

“Neither the Nigerian Embassy in Cairo nor the Egyptian Foreign Affairs Ministry has reached out to the family to give updates; particularly, on their actions regarding either repatriation of Remilekun’s corpse to Nigeria or the information the family has demanded already,” the statement added.

According to the bereaved family, since the airline general manager has declared that both Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Nigeria Embassy in Cairo are working out the modalities to bring back the corpse to the country,  they should ensure they get the health documents which reflect the information on the medical report to be able to bring back the deceased to Nigeria.

While appreciating the mediation and intervention of NiDCOM/Federal Government of Nigeria and while expressing their desire to receive the corpse of late Remilekun in Lagos for a peaceful burial, the Meshioye family called on Egyptair to amongst other defray the full cost of repatriating the corpse to Lagos, Nigeria.