JUST IN: Death of 26 women: NHRC commends UN, Italy for legal action

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has commended the Italian Government for the arraignment of two accused: Mohamed Al Bouzid and Al Mabrouc Harar, over the death of 26 Nigerian women.

The women were said to have died in the Mediterranean Sea during a failed attempt to cross to Europe.

The commission equally commended the efforts of United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in dispatching some of officials of the commission to examine the bodies of the deceased.

In a statement issued by the commission’s Head of Media, Fatima Mohammad, the Acting Executive Secretary of the Commission, Mrs Oti Ovrawah decried the development.

According to her, the death of the women is a gross violation of their right to life.

Ovrawah urged the Italian Government and UNHCR to ensure that the two suspects receive diligent prosecution in accordance with the law, adding that no one had the right to take another’s life.

“”Article 3 of the universal declaration of human rights provides that everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of persons.”

The acting executive secretary of the commission also called on the Federal Government to strengthen its collaboration with the Italian government and other relevant international bodies to ensure that justice.

She also called on the international community to double its efforts in the on-going global compact on migration, meant to address challenges associated with illegal migration and trafficking. (NAN)