•Shipwreck
No fewer than 61 migrants, including women and children, have drowned following a shipwreck off Libya.
The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) said the boat had set off from the Libyan city of Zwara with about 86 persons on board, reports The Guardian.
Libya is a key transit point along the Central Mediterranean route, which IOM lists among the world’s most dangerous migration routes.
The route offers migrants entry to Europe via Italy. The United Nations agency said most of the victims of the accident were from Nigeria, Gambia and other African countries.
IOM spokesperson, Flavio Di Giacomo, said more than 2,250 people died this year on the Central Mediterranean migrant route, adding: “A dramatic figure, which demonstrates that unfortunately not enough is being done to save lives at sea.”
In a related development, Nigerian-British Mayor of Southwark, London, Micheal Situ, has urged Nigerians coming into the United Kingdom, particularly youths and students, to be aware of the laws of the country before setting out.
He gave the advice during a parley with Chairman of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, when she paid a courtesy call on him in his office in Southwark.
The mayor believes that if Nigerians are properly briefed, they would avoid getting into troubles such as sexual assaults and related issues, rules, cultures, and traditions of their new environment.
He noted that what may appear as nothing to them in their culture could be most times be quite grievous in their new surroundings. Dabiri-Erewa had suggested a situation where regular briefing and interaction should be conducted for those arriving newly in the United Kingdom, especially students, to enable them stay out of trouble and adjust.
The NIDCOM boss urged those arriving the European nation to be of good behaviour and respect the laws of their host country. Recently, there have been cases of sexual assaults made against some Nigerian students and other sundry infractions being allegedly committed. Equally, a Nigerian was alleged to have killed a squirrel.
