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The 26 Nigerian women who died in the Mediterranean earlier this month were on Friday buried in Salerno Italy.
The autopsy report on the dead bodies was released before the burial.
Reuters reports that a Roman Catholic bishop and a Muslim imam both said prayers at the simple ceremony in the southern city of Salerno, with 26 wooden coffins laid out on a stone dais. A single white rose was placed on the lid of each.
An Associated Press reporter, Trisha Thomas, who covered the event said she did not see any Federal Government representation at the burial ceremony.
The girls were crossing from Libya to Italy when they met their death.
Responding to the criticism, after a Twitter user branded the government irresponsible for not attending the burial, President Muhammadu Buhari’s Special Assistant on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, in a tweet, hoped that the Nigerian mission in Italy was duly informed about the time, date and venue of the burial.
Her words: “I hope the mission in Italy was duly informed of time . date and venue. If true , this has to be looked into. FEC , as the highest decision making body, is taking this up cos of its utmost seriousness . Two different matters here”
Many however wondered if the Nigerian government had to wait for official invitation when the burial plans were on social media hours before the event, and when the girls being buried were Nigerians fleeing hardship at home.
Meanwhile Senate President Bukola Saraki restated the senate’s resolve to probe the death of the women and girls, two of whom, autopsy report revealed were pregnant.
Saraki tweeted: “As we stated in our 9th November, 2017 Resolution: the @NGRSenate will not stop until justice is done and a proper investigation is conducted by Italian authorities on the death of the 26 Nigerian women.
President Muhammadu Buhari has also set up an inquiry into the tragic death of the Nigerians.