37 Nigerian immigrants drown in Gabon

Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Libreville — No fewer than 37 suspected illegal migrants many of whom are believed to be Nigerians were found dead on the seafront of Gabon’s capital Libreville yesterday after their boat was wrecked, rescue workers and morgue officials told Reuters.

A rickety open wooden boat, of the kind often used by would-be migrants trying to reach Europe from Africa, was found broken on rocks not far from the bodies.

Bodies of illegal migrants who drown trying to reach Europe are often washed up on the West African coast.

Thousands of poor African job-seekers risk their lives each year trying to get to Spain’s Canary Islands in a bid to seek a better life in Europe. Hundreds die in the attempt, human rights campaigners say.

Traffickers regularly cram 200 or 300 people into pirogues, the open wooden boats used across West Africa, powered by sometimes ancient outboard motors and poor quality fuel.

Gabon’s own relative prosperity, funded by oil, has also made it a favourite destination for illegal migrants from nearby countries.

With investment from former colonial ruler France, Gabon was one of the first sub-Saharan African countries to exploit its crude oil reserves, which have made its 1.5 million people among the continent’s richest on a per capita basis.

The wealth is far from evenly spread, and many people, immigrants in particular, survive in poverty amid the relative affluence of Libreville and other large towns.

Meanwhile, 12 bodies — all male, apparently 20 to 40 years old — were spread across a distance of 500 metres (yards). Black plastic bags with personal effects were seen, as was an identity document from Ghana.

A police officer who spoke to witnesses, and who asked not to be named, said that people had been seen landing on the beach around 3:00 to 4:00 am (0200 to 0300 GMT), suggesting that there had been survivors.

The same officer told AFP that the small vessel “without a doubt set off from Nigeria,” at least 450 kilometres (300 miles) from Libreville.

Interior Minister Andre Mba Obame said the loss of boatloads of migrants was “frequent” off Gabon, adding that “tens of thousands” seek to enter the oil-producing west African country each year.

The total number of illegal immigrants in Gabon is “no less than 400,000” out of a population of 1.3 million, he said.
http://odili.net/news/source/2008/jul/2/308.html

Eya aaaa,
Poor things.na wa ooh!!!

wonder shall never end!!!