The body of Itunu Babalola, the Nigerian lady who died in prison in Côte d’Ivoire following an erroneous sentencing, has been buried in Ibadan, Oyo State.
She was buried on Saturday at the Sango Cemetery at 11:25am. Officials of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) were present at the funeral.
Babalola’s body had arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Lagos on Friday at 11pm via Air Côte d’Ivoire.
The 21-year-old trader, who was based in Bondoukou, Cote d’Ivoire, died on November 14.
Babalola was arrested and charged to court for human trafficking when she reported a case of burglary by an Ivorian in September 2019 at her home to the police.
Reports said the DPO informed her that the suspect was his nephew. He reportedly offered her a settlement worth roughly N100,000 to drop the case, an amount lesser than the N300,000 worth of stolen effects.
But Babalola refused the settlement. She was charged to court for human trafficking and sentenced to 10 years in prison.
Her situation only got to the Nigerian Commission in Côte d’Ivoire, and NIDCOM which is headed by Abike Dabiri-Erewa after she had spent two years in jail.
