Reps want death of 26 Nigerian migrants probed

 

THE House of Representatives on Thursday called for a probe into the death of 26 Nigerian girls believed to have died en route Mediterranean sea to Italy.

 

The House directed its committee on Foreign Affairs and Human rights to liaise with the federal ministry of foreign affairs to unearth the cause of their death and report back to the House.

A report had it that their bodies were recovered from a Spanish warship in the Italian coastal city of Salerno.

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The House Leader, Honourable Femi Gbajabiamila in a motion of urgent public importance said that it was curious that the 26 girls found dead were Nigerians.

The House leader while calling for a probe into the death of the girls said that they were within the age range of 18 and 24.

According to Honourable Gbajabiamila, there are allegations that the girls were murdered, while others alleged that the girls were being trafficked to Italy.

Contributing to the motion, the House committee chairman on Youth Development, Honorable Segun Adekola said that, everyday people are dying at the Mediterranean sea, saying that, it was high time we do something to ameliorate the sufferings of our youths.

He added that “Nigerian government should do something for our youths to be gainfully employed. There is no better place like Nigeria”.

Both Honourable Beni Lar and Betty Appiafi advised that emergency funding for the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) in the 2018 budget to enable the agency to carry out any emergency assignment anytime the need arises.

The motion scaled through when it was put to a voice vote by the Speaker, Honourable Yakubu Dogara.