Britain deports its five-gold medal Nigerian hero

AFTER winning five gold medals for Britain, the country is deporting disabled weightlifter Vincent Onwubiko to Nigeria because he is not qualified to live in the United Kingdom (UK), the UK Border Agency has said.

Onwubiko, 43, who suffers from polio and uses a wheelchair, was expected to be flown from London to Lagos as early as yesterday evening, The Independent newspaper said. He came to Britain in 1994 and represented Britain at the 1995 and 1997 World Wheelchair Games.

He was also selected for the 1996 Paralympics in Atlanta but could not attend. He claims that he could be dead within weeks if sent back to Nigeria. Onwubiko told The Independent: "The government has given me three months of painkillers for my return to Nigeria and told me to get on with it. But I need proper care. Sending me back is a death sentence."

He was sentenced to five months in prison for driving while disqualified after twice being convicted of careless driving. Immigrants who commit serious criminal offences are subject to automatic deportation once their sentences end. Onwubiko is being held at the Colnbrook Immigration Removal Centre, close to London Heathrow Airport.

"In light of a number of criminal convictions, Vincent Onwubiko was notified on November 13, 2007 of a decision to make a deportation order against him," the head of criminality and detentions at the United Kingdom Border Agency, David Wood, said.

"Full consideration was given to his case and the decision was reviewed and upheld by an immigration judge. His judicial review claim was found by the judge to be totally without merit.

"The UK Border Agency has not been presented with a European Court of Human Rights injunction preventing his removal and there are therefore no legal barriers to his removal from the UK."

Onwubiko has written to Prime Minister Gordon Brown asking him to look into his case.

http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/sports/article01//indexn2_html?pdate=230310&ptitle=Britain deports its five-gold medal Nigerian her

the law is the law.

davidylan:

the law is the law.

However, in 2007, Mr Onwubiko was sentenced to five months in prison for driving while disqualified after twice being convicted of careless driving in his specially adapted car. One time he apparently ran through a red light. Due to UK laws, an emigrant who commits a serious criminal offense is subject to automatic deportation.




what a shame sha

What a heartless act!, Why didn't they deport before he began winning all those gold medals for them?

mama-gee:

What a heartless act!, Why didn't they deport before he began winning all those gold medals for them?

Where is your brain? Did he commit crime before or after Olympic games? yeye person

blacksta:

Where is your brain?  Did he commit crime before or after Olympic games?  yeye person

Reported, I'm entitled to my opinion.

With all the terrorists running around britain, it is a wheelchaired man they are worrying about. LOLZ

This doesn't make sense. What threat does this man pose, since he is in a wheel chair? I agree with the poster above me, with all the radical people living in that nation, they decide to deport a man who is harmless. What he did was careless, but give this man a break. He will not be able to receive the same treatment in Nigeria unfortunately, and that can mean life and death.

SEFAGO:

With all the terrorists running around britain, it is a wheelchaired man they are worrying about. LOLZ

*DEATH*

Don't mind the ingrates, I mean if it was in the U.S. they would heartly make the young man a Citizen
anyway I'm not surprised by the british actions, they're known to be stingy sometimes so it has to do with them.

unfortunately . . . Europeans respect their laws no matter how many gold medals you win.

davidylan:

unfortunately . . . Europeans respect their laws no matter how many gold medals you win.

The posters above live in society where a constant compromise occurs daily and cannot envision a society where nobody is above the law - so what if he wins a gold medal for britain - would it have been al right to the deported if the guy were a serial killer.

mama-gee:

*DEATH*

Don't mind the ingrates, I mean if it was in the U.S. they would heartly make the young man a Citizen
anyway I'm not surprised by the british actions, they're known to be stingy sometimes so it has to do with them.

yes o, no wonder many illegals and capable nigerians flock their to give birth free of charge, some even 'snatch' vital organs meant for citizens and residents all in the name of fairness and compassion

^^Snatch Vital Organs?

blacksta:

The posters above live in society where a constant compromise occurs daily and cannot envision a society where nobody is above the law - so what if he wins a gold medal for britain - would it have been al right to the deported if the guy were a serial killer.

Not true, certain people in Europe are above the law, just not an immigrant black man from Nigeria.

wow, running a redlight is a criminal offence in England ? so what happens if i clap a nicca!!!

SEFAGO:

Not true, certain people in Europe are above the law, just not an immigrant black man from Nigeria.

Not true, if he was a citizen he would be deported to his house after his term in jail, if he was from poland he would be deported like many have been after 'several' convictions

He was sentenced to five months in prison for driving while disqualified after twice being convicted of careless driving

I can bet my bottom dollar this guy get a tax-free car, free parking, free disability allowance- no wonder he is wasting money drinking and driving- telling everyone he won gold some years ago

Dis Guy:

Not true, if he was a citizen he would be deported to his house after his term in jail, if he was from poland he would be deported like many have been after 'several' convictions
I can bet my bottom dollar this guy get a tax-free car, free parking, free disability allowance- no wonder he is wasting money drinking and driving- telling everyone he won gold some years ago

Some people are above the law, just a certain class of people. Like everywhere in the world it is who you know that matters. Its not an affair of migrant or not. If he was friends with the head of scotland yard or whoever handles police business I am sure his records would have been expunged. I have seen cases inan advanced country where someone got into real trouble (not rubbish like running traffic lights) and his file never reached the court because his father was high up in the police dept.

tlops:


"The government has given me three months of painkillers for my return to Nigeria and told me to get on with it. But I need proper care. Sending me back is a death sentence."

The fact he has represented Britain on a number of occasions does not mean he is above the law. Let's face it, he wasn't smart, he could have held them to ransom while the ovation was loudest, when he was winning medals for them and wearing Britain's national colours, but he didn't, maybe he had no good advisers or he took things too much for granted. They needed him then, they would have done anything for him.

He was convicted twice for driving carelessly and jumping a red light! what was he thinking? to kill someone or make them disabled too! thereafter he was disqualified from driving, yet he still went ahead and drove, knowing fully well he was flouting a court injunction plus he also had an immigration case pending. I can only pity him, he has rightly said it, I cannot help but wonder how he would manage his disability in a disabled country.

SEFAGO:

Some people are above the law, just a certain class of people. Like everywhere in the world it is who you know that matters. Its not an affair of migrant or not. If he was friends with the head of scotland yard or whoever handles police business I am sure his records would have been expunged. I have seen cases inan advanced country where someone got into real trouble (not rubbish like running traffic lights) and his file never reached the court because his father was high up in the police dept.

Very funny!

SEFAGO:

Some people are above the law, just a certain class of people. Like everywhere in the world it is who you know that matters. Its not an affair of migrant or not. If he was friends with the head of scotland yard or whoever handles police business I am sure his records would have been expunged. I have seen cases inan advanced country where someone got into real trouble (not rubbish like running traffic lights) and his file never reached the court because his father was high up in the police dept.

Definitely not in the U.k as i write we have a number of ministers that have pending cases with the court with very likely prison sentences and i dont know where you got your story from  -  Please point  out someone  in Europe who  has escaped the clutches of law

Welcome home Vincent, at least you will not need to be afraid of disaqualification here in 9ja, all you need do is get a very expensive ride and you can carry go.

"The government has given me three months of painkillers for my return to Nigeria and told me to get on with it. But I need proper care. Sending me back is a death sentence."

They even gave him painkillers free of charge!! how can you say they are stingy

The average Nigerian is lawless and does not appreciate basic order.

otokx:

The average Nigerian is lawless and does not appreciate basic order.

Bingo.

That have been demonstrated in this thread alone.

It is a shame really. Same old mentality and what not.

the law is the law.
sure you can try to find loopholes around it but mother teresa can be arrested for doing the same thing.

The UK needs a lesson or two in lawyering a la America.

If that guy was in the US, the immigration lawyers, for a nice fee - though some may do it pro bono, would have overwhelmed the system with clauses extracted from every written document, to make sure he remains in the US. That he is even in a wheelchair will only make his lawyers more willing to test the limit of the immigration courts. That he won five gold medals for the US in the mid 90s would have been grounds for him to file for a greencard under the "persons with extraordinary ability" clause. Then within five years he would be eligible for citizenship.

It seems either there aren't enough immigration lawyers in the UK ready to take on the government or the immigration procedure in the UK is very very different from that in the US.

In summary, this is unlikely to happen in America.

@Richy.

No there are rules here and we are not the US. There is little anyone can do to help him. Even those who have been granted citizenship can have it taken off if needed. A good case will be the Middle east dude who keeps preaching terrorism and Jihad against the UK - even though the bas.tard was on state benefit and do not work. When the authorities had enough, they simply stripped of his citizenship and had him barred from coming in to the UK.

In this particular case, the disabled man have shown disregard of the law and I am not sure what his immigration status are. Winning gold medal means nothing to be honest. Even those joining the army from Nigeria are not grated leave to stay here etc.

ElRazur:

@Richy.

No there are rules here and we are not the US. There is little anyone can do to help him. Even those who have been granted citizenship can have it taken off if needed. A good case will be the Middle east dude who keeps preaching terrorism and Jihad against the UK - even though the bas.tard was on state benefit and do not work. When the authorities had enough, they simply stripped of his citizenship and had him barred from coming in to the UK.

In this particular case, the disabled man have shown disregard of the law and I am not sure what his immigration status are. Winning gold medal means nothing to be honest. Even those joining the army from Nigeria are not grated leave to stay here etc.

In the UK, are the laws regarding loss of citizenship different for naturalized citizens?

RichyBlacK:

In the UK, are the laws regarding loss of citizenship different for naturalized citizens?

It is a complex area. Those born after 1982 [in the UK] or so have certain "clause" so to speak. Also those who become naturalised before certain date do have some sort of "clause". I am sure someone who knows better will shed some light.

It may be worth mentioning that he would most likely have been granted Legal aid - Free solicitors/lawyers/Experts - to fight his case and trust me, these folks knows how to milk the Legal Aid System for all the pound sterling they can get out of it. But in some cases where there is no hope, they won't bother - I suspect this case may be one of them.

coolier:

He was convicted twice for driving carelessly and jumping a red light! what was he thinking? to kill someone or make them disabled too! thereafter he was disqualified from driving, yet he still went ahead and drove, knowing fully well he was flouting a court injunction plus he also had an immigration case pending. I can only pity him, he has rightly said it, I cannot help but wonder how he would manage his disability in a disabled country.

He is in a foreign country and flouting the law with impunity, let him come home and see the other side of life. If he were not disable, from his antics, he would have been a criminal.

ElRazur:

It is a complex area. Those born after 1982 [in the UK] or so have certain "clause" so to speak. Also those who become naturalised before certain date do have some sort of "clause". I am sure someone who knows better will shed some light.

It may be worth mentioning that he would most likely have been granted Legal aid - Free solicitors/lawyers/Experts - to fight his case and trust me, these folks knows how to milk the Legal Aid System for all the pound sterling they can get out of it. But in some cases where there is no hope, they won't bother - I suspect this case may be one of them.

Well, in America it ain't that complex.

There is no difference on any issue, legal or otherwise, between a naturalized US citizen and born US citizen, thanks to the strength of the 14th amendment. However, Article II of the US constitution, under the "executive power" clause, states that the President must be a natural born citizen of the United States.

So, under US law, all citizens have the same rights, except for the constitutional eligibility requirement for president of the US.

Hence, naturalized citizens cannot be treated as having fewer rights than born citizens.

RichyBlacK:

The UK needs a lesson or two in lawyering a la America.

If that guy was in the US, the immigration lawyers, for a nice fee - though some may do it pro bono, would have overwhelmed the system with clauses extracted from every written document, to make sure he remains in the US. That he is even in a wheelchair will only make his lawyers more willing to test the limit of the immigration courts. That he won five gold medals for the US in the mid 90s would have been grounds for him to file for a greencard under the "persons with extraordinary ability" clause. Then within five years he would be eligible for citizenship.

It seems either there aren't enough immigration lawyers in the UK ready to take on the government or the immigration procedure in the UK is very very different from that in the US.

In summary, this is unlikely to happen in America.

I disagree.

This man hasn't the financial means to pay for a big time Lawyer in America. That plus I doubt any Lawyer would risk their reputation and careers to take up a case for a persistent offender who just happened to be illegal. Just like Britain, America has it own fair share of criminals to deal with so why should they have to deal with an illegal one too? Especially one that is a burden on the state finances?

Further more had this case been in America it would have long been done and dusted the first time Vincent's illegal behind broke the law with him back in Lagos where he belongs. To hell with his gold medals! Na Gold medal we dey chop??  As much as I love Britain, I do think that sometimes their compassion can get in the way of common sense. The Americans don't play that. I wonder how much of tax payers money was used to keep this man fed, housed and watered since 2007?