Family of Nigerian who died in Algerian plane crash struggle to retrieve body

The family of the only Nigerian who died in the ill fated Air Algeria AH5017 plane crash that killed 110 passengers and crew on July 24th in Mali say they are struggling to retrieve his body from the Malian government.

The family is now asking the Federal Government to help them retrieve his body so they could give him a proper burial.

Late Emmanuel Osita, a professional footballer with a club in Burkina Faso, was on his way to Dubai to sign a new football contract when he met his untimely death. Continue

Speaking with Channels TV, Emmanuel's father Ogbu Osita said his son had called him few minutes before boarding the flight and asked that he prayed for him which he did.

"He entered the plane by 10.30pm Nigerian time and 10 o'clock in Burkina faso. He asked me to pray for him for success and journey mercy, I prayed for him and after I prayed for him, he boarded the plane and I urged him that as soon as he gets to Dubai, he should call us to know that he has reached. The President of the club he played for in Burkina Faso called me to tell me that the plane Osita Emmanuel entered had been declared missing. From that moment, we know that Osita Emmanuel, my son, is dead." he said.

The father revealed that the family has written to the Federal Ministry of Foreign affairs to help retrieve the body of their late bread winner for burial but no word has come from the Ministry. He said they are financially incapacitated if not they would have done so themselves

"If they help us to bring the dead body to Nigeria, then we can go and bury him because as I told you before, we are financially incapacitated to do so" his father said

Meanwhile the Director Consular of the Foreign Affairs Minister, Abdul-Aziz Dankano, said the Federal Government is waiting for the conclusion of the investigation being carried out by the Malian government into the crash, adding that bodies of the crash victims have not yet been released.

He said they would get in touch with the family of late Osita to know what the government can do for them.