On the 9th of June 2007 Osamuyia Aikpitanhi, a 23 year Nigerian, was killed by spanish police officers during a forced deportation. A Protest Note will be delivered to Spanish embassies around the globe at NOON on FRIDAY 29th of June 2007.
Participate in the protest to Spanish authorities on the inhumane killing of Osamuyiwa Aikpitanhi:
http://www.nigeriavillagesquare.com/component/option,com_philaform/Itemid,195/form_id,1/
There are volunteers in Cyprus; Sweden; Dublin Ireland; Cairo Egypt; Istanbul Turkey; Ouagadougou Burkina Faso; Germany; Switzerland; Ottawa Canada; South Africa; Brazil; Paris France; Spain; Italy; Nigeria; UK; USA; Shanghai China; Vienna Austria; Dakar Senegal; Malaysia; and more...
From the letter of Protest:
"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 . 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. (...) Shortly after the aircraft became air borne, Mr. Aikpitanhi died. He died an inhuman death, bound, gagged and soiled in his own waste. Apparently, he choked on the gag that the law enforcement agents had put on him. The Spanish law enforcment agents murdered Mr. Aikpitanhi."
On June 25th, 2007 an Account of an eye-witness from IBERIA 163746 was published by The Nigeria Village Square:
"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."
Further Information:
The Nigeria Village Square (english) provides many information, an interview with :
http://www.nigeriavillagesquare.com
no-racism.net documentation (in english and german) on the killing of Osamuyia Aikpitanhi:
http://no-racism.net/rubrik/331
and an incomplete documentation of deaths during deportation and in police custody:
http://no-racism.net/racismkills
Mugak: Observatorio de los Medios - Tema: Muertes - reports from corporate media (en espanol): http://medios.mugak.eu/noticias/tema/14
http://www.nigeriavillagesquare.com/component/option,com_philaform/Itemid,195/form_id,1/ There are volunteers in Cyprus; Sweden; Dublin Ireland; Cairo Egypt; Istanbul Turkey; Ouagadougou Burkina Faso; Germany; Switzerland; Ottawa Canada; South Africa; Brazil; Paris France; Spain; Italy; Nigeria; UK; USA; Shanghai China; Vienna Austria; Dakar Senegal; Malaysia; and more...
From the letter of Protest:
"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 . 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. (...) Shortly after the aircraft became air borne, Mr. Aikpitanhi died. He died an inhuman death, bound, gagged and soiled in his own waste. Apparently, he choked on the gag that the law enforcement agents had put on him. The Spanish law enforcment agents murdered Mr. Aikpitanhi."
On June 25th, 2007 an Account of an eye-witness from IBERIA 163746 was published by The Nigeria Village Square:
"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."
Further Information:
The Nigeria Village Square (english) provides many information, an interview with :
http://www.nigeriavillagesquare.com no-racism.net documentation (in english and german) on the killing of Osamuyia Aikpitanhi:
http://no-racism.net/rubrik/331 and an incomplete documentation of deaths during deportation and in police custody:
http://no-racism.net/racismkills Mugak: Observatorio de los Medios - Tema: Muertes - reports from corporate media (en espanol):
http://medios.mugak.eu/noticias/tema/14
