FG Frowns at Death of a Nigerian in Cote D’ivoire, demands for full Investigation.

Oru Leonard

The Federal government of NIgeria has demanded for full autopsy on the sudden and mysterious death of Itunnu Babalola, a Nigerian sentenced to 20 years imprisonment in Côte Divoire for alleged human trafficking.

This was contained in a statement signed by the Chairman Nigerians in
Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa and released by
the Commission’s Head of Media, Abdur-Rahman Balogun , which stated
that Itunnu’s case was drawn to the attention of NiDCOM about five
months ago.

Dabiri-Erewa,described the death of Itunnu as a tragic blow, at a time
the Nigerian mission in Côte Divoire had paid and engaged the services
of a lawyer to handle Itunnu’s appeal case.

“Unfortunately, Itunnu died abruptly while all hands were on deck to
seek both legal and diplomatic intervention for her by Nigeria.

Itunnu was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment for an offence she did not
apparently commit.

Itunnu had accused an Ivorian of robber at her residence and insisted
on filing a case against him.

The accused who happens to be related to an Ivorian police man, asked
her to drop the case, but she refused.

Itunnu went ahead to file charges against him and allegedly used a
different name ( not her real name ) to file the case and somehow a case
of robbery which she filed mysteriously turned to a case of human
trafficking against her.

She was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment while the Nigerian mission in Cote Divoire supported by the Nigerian community, got her a lawyer, made part payment of legal fees to the lawyer, to appeal the judgment, while at the same time seeking diplomatic intervention from the Nigeria by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The staff of the Nigeria mission had also visited Itunu in prison, a distance of over four hours from Abidjan.

While the appeal case was on , Itunu was said to have complications from
diabetes and was rushed to the hospital.

The fees for the treatment was paid by the Nigerian mission through the
lawyer whose services were engaged by the mission, unfortunately, she
died suddenly after a few days of admission at the Hospital.