Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Relations and Diaspora, Abike-Dabiri has explained the reason it appeared the presidency did not send representatives from the country to the burial of the 26 Nigerian women, who died while trying to cross the Mediterranean from Libya to Italy. She said Nigerian government through Anti Human Trafficking Agency was given a wrong date for the burial. 

"On the issue of the burial of the 26 dead bodies washed up in the Mediterranean; Italy had communicated to Anti Human Trafficking Agency that the burial would take place in Salerno on the 26th of November.

"So, why did Italy bury them 9 days earlier on the 17th of November without the consent or knowledge of Anti Human Trafficking Agency and the Nigerian government? Why the hurried burial?


"My office has communicated with the Italian Embassy and we await their urgent response on this matter. Also as of today, only 3 of the deceased have been identified as Nigerians according to the DG of Anti Human Trafficking Agency," she said.