I got a message from one Taiwo Daniel (s********@yahoo.co.uk) a few minutes ago. At first sight, I would have deleted it but then I read closely the gruesome story below. I followed it up with a quick Google search and saw that this was an event that indeed took place.
I am reproducing what I got in my email below. Be the judge.
Osamuyia Aikpitanhi, a 23 year Nigerian, on June 9, 2007, was murdered by Spaniards, they handcuffed him, chained his legs, gagged him with his mouth completely closed with industrial strength rubber or duck-tape and put a twine-bag or sack, over his head, once out of public view, they pummeled him, until he suffocated, or choked and asphyxiated! He drowned in his vomit, with excrements or feces all over him, all these, testament to the torture, directed at him by Spain!
Spaniards unconscionably, injected unidentified chemical substances into Mr. Osamuyia Aikpitanhi. This young man’s misstep, was that he did not possess a resident permit, authorizing him to live and work in Spain. We know that such infraction does not carry the death penalty. We also know enforcement agents of Spain, who brutalized, the Nigeria a uniquely Spanish barbaric and horrible treatment of the Inquisition type, did not have the right to take the Nigerian’s life. The Spaniards meted out such horrible and extremely inhuman treatment to Mr. Osamuyia Aikpitanhi, they unreasonably used deadly force.
Nigerians are tired of being treated inhumanely. Enough of these beastly treatments and unwarranted brutalities! Nigerians reject being treated like dogs all over the world Nigerians from now onwards, must make non-Nigerians do one of two things, respect us or fear the consequences of a lack!
According to published reports, an Iberia Airline pilot protested to the Spanish authorities regarding the violation of Mr. Osamuyia Aikpitanhiâ’s Human Rights and the Spaniards violations of international treaties and conventions, including IATA and ICAO; This was on the heels of sustained complaints by the other 96 Nigerian passengers that were aboard the same aircraft which was bound for Lagos, Nigeria. Multitude of Nigerians had witnessed the aggressions that were directed at Mr. Osamuyia Aikpitanhi.
Sources revealed that the said pilot, even refused to continue with the journey the next day to protest the inhumanity that he had witnessed a day before.
Using industrial strength duck-tape or rubber tape to gag-choke, it a resort use of deadly force. They handcuffed him, chained his legs, gagged him and put a twine-bag over his head, once out of public view they pummeled him, until he suffocated, choked and asphyxiated!
Thankfully, as life throws oddballs at us, out of bad incidents of our everyday lives, sometimes, comes some good. Some of us Nigerians, as a benefit resulting from internet rapid-fire world of advanced technology communications, Nigerians worldwide are able to communicate as a community and on a regular basis. We discuss Nigeria’s national issues and in rough and tumble tackles, dealing raw politics.
And through a Nigerian gentleman in Italy, Mr. Oguzie J.J., a regular contributor-participant, we learnt that a Nigerian, Mr. Osamuyia Aikpitanhi was killed! Murdered by members of Spain’s law enforcement agencies.
Today is the fourth day since the incident, the representatives of Nigeria in Madrid, Spain, are still making arrangements, efforts and contacts etc, before they make plans to make other plans to make a public statement eventually! As they are constrained by diplomatic and legal protocol. But, again, thankfully, the rest of us, do not have those constraints and we are speaking out and we want the world to know that a Nigerian’s life was illegally and violently ended agents of the government of Spain. A Nigerian here in America remarked yesterday, that the Philippines has a ministry or government department, responsible solely for Filipinos resident abroad.
Perhaps it is about time, that the Nigerian federal government establish a ministry, department or an agency, that monitors the affairs of the several hundred thousands of Nigerians who are now resident outside of the shores of Nigeria.
Nigerians outside these diplomatic or legal constraints, as our diplomats in Madrid appear to be under, cannot afford to dither or wait to finesse our reaction to obvious murder, that was executed in the most brutal and horrible way. All this transpired inside an Iberia Airlines aircraft on its way to Lagos, Nigeria on June 9, 2007.
Nigerians write to protest the brutal beating to death of Mr. Osamuyia Aikpitanhi a citizen of Nigeria, on June 9, 2007. This is as a result of the use of excessive and unreasonable deadly force, visited upon Mr. Osamuyia Aikpitanhi the Spanish security forces.
Information reaching us is such that it does appear, as if the Spanish law enforcement agencies has developed a pattern, in which Nigerians and other Africans are singled out and tortured, brutalized and frequently murdered. Nigeria has good diplomatic and trade relations with Spain. Spain has substantive business interests in Nigeria. Spain should never visit horror and brutality on Nigerian citizens, and for that matter, upon any person.
The Spanish authorities, is within its right to guard its borders and to set its immigration rules. It any nation’s right to select who and what persons may be its guest.
Frequency of brutal and horrible treatments that are directed at Nigerians and other African citizens quite unacceptable. These brutalities and horrors directed only at Africans, are egregious and made even more so, by their regularity!
In September 1998, a Nigerian young lady was similarly murdered in Belgium; I refer to the brutal murder of Ms. Semira Adamu, a 20-year-old Nigerian woman by the Belgian authorities, who asphyxiated her with a pillow as they chatted and laughed, and all of it, were caught on tape for the world to see!
Nigeria inform Spain, impress it upon them and insist that there are more reasonable, humane and logical way, to handle the upsurge of immigrants into their country, it is rather disgusting that the Spanish security services, have often resorted to unreasonable, excessive brutal measures causing deaths. High influx of immigrants into Spain, does not give its government officials any justifications to engage and indulge themselves in unlawful and illegal behaviors. They treated our citizen without dignity and deprived him of his life. Would they do this to a European? Or to an American? It must be added that Nigerian authorities have never meted any unaccepted treatments to Spaniards in Nigeria.
The people and government of Nigeria demand explanations for this wanton taking of the life of one of our nationals. Nigerians demand compensation be paid by the Spanish authorities to the next of kin or survivors of the deceased Mr. Osamuyia Aikpitanhi.
Nigerians demand that an apology be tendered by the Spanish authorities to the next of kin, parents and or other survivors of Mr. Osamuyia Aikpitanhi and to Nigeria. Nigerians are calling for the boycott of Iberia Airlines of Spain. Nigerians call for the immediate boycott of all products made in or originating from any entity in Spain. Nigerians demand the picketing of all installations in Nigeria, with any connections to the government of Spain and or companies in Spain or companies owned by Spaniards.
Nigerians should call these police telephone numbers in Spain, to register disgust and dismay, over the killing and brutal murder of a Nigerian citizen
Spanish National Police – 952 80 36 00 Spanish Civil Guard 952 89 00 55 Spanish Police Robbery Squad 902 102 112I have a few questions for the government of Nigeria, and in particular, the Nigerian representatives in Madrid, Spain, diplomats and all. A Nigerian is murdered abroad, who speaks for him? Considering that he was brutalized in a most repugnant and most reprehensible manner? Consider that he was choked, suffocated and asphyxiated, and at the end, he drowned in his own vomit and defecation, it left feces all over his body.
And I ask the multitudes and multiple multitudes of Nigerians now overseas, could this happen to you? Could this happen to me and nothing is done by other Nigerians or by our government, or our diplomats in the country in question?Nigerians are tired of being treated inhumanely. Enough of these beastly treatments and unwarranted brutalities! Nigerians reject being treated like dogs all over the world Nigerians from now onwards, must make non-Nigerians do one of two things, respect us or fear the consequences of a lack!
Protection and preservation of Nigerian citizens is the primary duty of the government of Nigeria, and therefore, Nigerian diplomats worldwide. This duty is sacrosanct.
All Nigerians, diplomats, entire hierarchy and levels of government in Nigeria must ensure, that the killers of any Nigerian do not go unpunished. Nigerians and Nigeria must draw a line in the sand regarding the sanctity of the lives of Nigerian citizens.
