Thursday, June 28, 2007

protest the maltreatment and subsequent death of Mr. Osamuyia Aikpitanhi

Concerned Nigerians are planning to protest the maltreatment and subsequent death of Mr. Osamuyia Aikpitanhi at 12.00 noon local time on the 29th of June 2007 at Spanish embassies in over 20 Countries worldwide.

In a bid to deport Mr. Aikpitanhi from Spain to Nigeria on June 9, 2007, We understand that Spanish law enforcement agents employed measures that were unreasonable, inhumane, illegal, and, ultimately, fatal. According to reports, Spanish law enforcement agents arrested Mr. Aikpitanhi, beat him, bound his hands and legs firmly with ropes, and put a gag over his mouth. The Spanish Officials then loaded him like an animal onto an Iberia aircraft bound for Lagos , Nigeria.
Image of rope used taken by Eye Witness
Finally, the law enforcement agents covered him with a sack in order to prevent other passengers traveling on the aircraft from observing the undignified and inhumane manner in which Mr. Aikpitanhi was restrained. Mr. Aikpitanhi, a human being, was treated worse than an animal. Shortly after the aircraft became air borne, Mr. Aikpitanhi died. He died an inhuman death, bound, gagged and soiled in his own waste
Click here to listen to an Interview with Eye Witness Mr Lanre Obafemi of Shell,Warri

The time has come for us as Nigerians to say out loud to the whole world that we would no longer accept these types of treatments that has now become commonplace against our fellow citizens.

Following over 3000 signatures of support, We delivered our protest to the Nigerian Embassy last friday to hopefully rouse them to thir responsibilities to Nigerians. We have also been able to attract the attention of News Media in Nigeria and Europe to this issue.


In order to raise public awareness of continous sub-human treatment of Nigerian and African immigrants in Europe and to demand a full investigation into the incident by the Spanish authorities, we plan to deliver the protest note at 12.00 noon local time on the 29th of June 2007 at Spanish embassies worldwide including Algeria, Austria, Brazil, Burkina, Canada, China, Cyprus, Egypt, Faso, Finland, France, Germany, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Malaysia, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, USA. Please join this historical march in your city.

  • Lanre Obafemi:

    I happened to be a witness to this macabre incident. Despite the death of one of them, the other two deportees onboard who were not tied up were still being manhandled when Iberia returned to Alicante (Spain) to offload the corpse. I remember one Nigerian passenger trying to stop me from getting down from the plane to protest the beating of the other deportees for no reason. Apparently, he just wanted to go home.

    On getting o Nigeria, I poceeded to the Immigrations office to make the report. I was told to put it down in writing. It's noteworthy that no other passenger made the attempt despite screaming blue murder on the plane. Finally when I tried getting signatures on the report, most people declined and one passenger even shouted at me to leave him alone. I only got 3 signatures. The Nigerian Immigrations Service has also not done anything.

    I got home that day and sent mails to as many Nigerian newspapers and TV stations with the names and phone numbers of myself and the other 3 persons who signed the petition. It's also noteworthy that none of these radio and TV stations called me and to the best of my knowledge neither did they call any of the other 3 persons. The stations that finally aired the news only echoed what the Spanish newspaper (El Pais) reported, which was that he was a criminal and died of a heart attack.

    (Click to see full document)



  • Click here to read and sign the protest note if you have not done so
  • Click here to listen to an Interview with Family in Benin City (Audio File)
  • Pictures and interview with family of deceased in BeninCity, Nigeria

    Mr Jacob Aikpitanhi (Father) and Mrs Vero Aikpitanhi (Mother)
Team of Volunteers
Please contact these individuals in your country for further information.


Full information regarding the planned protests is available at www.nigeriavillagesquare.com.
Contact: nigeriavillagesquare@gmail.com

Members of the family: From L-R Osaigbokan Aikpitanhi; Mr Jacob Aikpitanhi (Father); Mrs Vero Aikpitanhi (Mother); A sympathizer; Mr Solomon Odia (Cousin); Mr Peter Odia (Cousin);sitting Mr Iziegbe Aikpitanhi (brother)

Mr Jacob Aikpitanhi (Father) and Mrs Vero Aikpitanhi (Mother)

Ahaoma Kanu with the parents

Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)