- FG calls for global action against human trafficking, migrant smuggling and root causes of irregular migration
The Federal Government has expressed profound sorrow over the deaths of nearly 140 migrants, including 15 children, in a boat disaster off the coast of Djibouti, calling for urgent international action to address the root causes of irregular migration and prevent further loss of lives.
In a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Abuja, Nigeria said the boat capsized between October 8 and 9, 2026, leaving scores of migrants missing, according to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM).
The statement, signed by the ministry’s spokesperson, Oluwafemi Adeniyi, conveyed Nigeria’s condolences to the bereaved families and expressed solidarity with the government and people of Djibouti over the tragedy.
The Federal Government described the incident as a grim reminder of the dangers faced by migrants who embark on perilous journeys in search of better economic opportunities and improved living conditions.
It stressed that the scale of the disaster reinforced the need for coordinated international efforts to tackle the conditions driving irregular migration, strengthen the fight against migrant smuggling and human trafficking, and expand access to safe, orderly and regular migration pathways.
According to the ministry, preventing similar tragedies requires sustained action against the criminal networks that facilitate dangerous migration journeys, alongside practical measures to address the economic and social pressures compelling people to leave their homes.
Nigeria emphasised that such interventions must be consistent with relevant African Union frameworks and applicable international instruments governing migration and the protection of migrants’ rights.
The government also underscored the shared responsibility of countries of origin, transit and destination, as well as regional and international organisations, in protecting migrants from exploitation, abuse and life-threatening journeys.
It particularly highlighted the need to safeguard children and other vulnerable migrants, whose exposure to dangerous routes and criminal trafficking networks heightens the humanitarian consequences of irregular migration.
Nigeria maintained that stronger international cooperation was essential to protecting migrants’ fundamental rights and dignity while ensuring that migration was managed in a safe, humane and orderly manner.
The Federal Government reaffirmed its commitment to working with the United Nations, the African Union and other relevant stakeholders to improve migration management, raise public awareness about the dangers of irregular migration and develop sustainable responses to its underlying causes.
It called for renewed global collaboration to protect human life along migration routes across Africa and beyond, stressing that preventing further loss of life required more than emergency responses after disasters had occurred.
The Djibouti tragedy has once again drawn attention to the severe risks faced by migrants travelling along dangerous routes in pursuit of economic security, family reunification and better opportunities.
Nigeria reiterated its deepest sympathies to the victims’ families and all those affected by the disaster, urging governments and international partners to strengthen collective efforts to prevent similar incidents and ensure that the search for a better future does not end in avoidable loss of life.
