Nigerian Migrant Woman Who Gave Birth At Sea Says Nigeria Is The Worst Place To Live

On May 2nd, hundreds of immigrants were rescued from overcrowded boats crossing the Mediterranean into Italy. A heavily pregnant Nigerian woman was amongst the migrants and later gave birth to a baby girl who has since been named Francesca Marina.

The woman, 24 year old Stephanie Samuel (above) told Reuters that she risked the dangerous voyage to Europe because she wanted a better life for her child.

“I didn’t expect the baby, you know, but she just like, she just came. I just wanted to leave Libya. Italy is better than Libya and Nigeria is the worst. God decides, not me … but I believe she will have a more good future in Europe.” Stephanie said
From Reuters

A week after the birth, both Stephanie Samuel, the 24-year-old Nigerian mother, and Francesca Marina have recovered. Doctors at the Sicilian hospital said they would probably be transferred to an immigration center for families with small children in a few days time.

Samuel worked for two years in Tripoli as a housemaid to save money to pay smugglers for the trip, but then the boat she set off in with about 90 others stalled after only three hours at sea.

By the time they were picked up by the Bettica off the Libyan coast seven hours later, she was unconscious after suffering epileptic seizures and had gone into labor.