September 19, (THEWILL) – Chairman/CEO, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has assured that justice will be served in memory of a Nigerian, Ms Remilekun Toyosi Meshioye, who allegedly died aboard EgyptAir on September 4, 2023.
The assurance was contained in a letter personally signed by Dabiri-Erewa and delivered by the Commission’s Head of Media and Public Relations, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, to Mr Majdi Al Aridi, the General Manager of the airline in Abuja office.
Dabiri-Erewa, who described the sudden death of Remilekun as sad and painful in the petition, stated that Remilekun’s case was drawn to the attention of NIDCOM in a petition sent by Mrs Olufunmilola Olaniyi-Alabi, her elder sister based in UK on behalf of the family to the Commission.
She said that since the death of Remilekun aboard the airline from Lagos to Cairo, the Management of Egyptair has not deemed it fit to contact any member of the family nor her next of kin as contained in her particulars before boarding the aircraft.
“It is surprising that Egyptair management has not deemed it fit to contact any members of Remilekun family to break the sad news to them nor condole with them. It has not responded as well to NIDCOM petition since Wednesday, September 13, 2023”, the statement added.
On behalf of the family and the Federal Government of Nigeria, the Commission is demanding for full disclosure that led to the sudden death of Ms Remilekun Toyosi Meshioye aboard Egyptair on that fateful day.
Remilekun, 41, who was billed for London to resume for her studies, was said to have left Lagos for London onboard Egypt Air MS 876 flight to Cairo on Monday Sept. 4, via Murtala Muhammad International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, but allegedly took ill on board and brought out dead from the aircraft at Cairo International Airport.
The family, according to Mrs Olufunmilola Olaniyi-Alabi, said the Airline didn’t inform them, but rather they got a message from the Nigeria consular office in Cairo informing them of her death on board the flight. “Please we need to know what exactly happened to Remilekun and how to get her corpse back to Nigeria for a peaceful burial as well as all her belongings in the custody of the airline.”
About the Author
Anthony Awunor, is a business correspondent who holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Linguistics (UNILAG). He is also an alumnus of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria Kaduna State. He lives in Lagos.
