• We were not better than corpses –Olusegun


• They chained our legs and hands behind our back –Ahmed


When Martins Olusegun set out for the Oriental country of China, his aim was to boost his economic fortunes and that of his immediate family. But his high hopes crashed when he stood surety for some Nigerians, who eventually eloped when they had an issue with their boss. The Ogun State-born Martins then found himself in the gulag where he had a raw deal for almost five years because he could not produce them.

Another Nigerian, who asked to be identified simply as Ahmed, had a similar experience, which corroborated a report in the Sunday Sun of December 25, 2011 on how over 1000 Nigerians rot in various prisons in China. The duo, who recently returned to Nigeria from Beijing Prisons Number Two, recounted the cruel treatment meted out specifically to prisoners of Nigerian origin by the Beijing authorities. They described their prison experience as deadly.

Martins…

How did you find yourself in the Beijing prison in China?

I had been living in China since 2003 until I was arrested on July 31, 2007. The people that were living with me had a problem with their boss at their place of work and they ran away. Their boss came with the police to arrest them in my house and couldn’t find them. So I was arrested to produce them because I was their surety. It took me four years and seven months before I regained my freedom. They said I was supposed to serve 16 years but on sympathy grounds I was released.

Are you saying you were convicted because you couldn’t find your friends?

It is not like I was convicted. I used to go to court once every year. They don’t take you to detention; they take you straight to the prisons. And that was how I spent close to five years without conviction.

What was the decision of the court before you were released?

The court would just tell you after some months or years that your case had been struck out, so you could go. They would not tell you whether you were guilty or not. They would just tell you that you were supposed to serve so and so number of years according to the Chinese law and tradition.

Were you a legal resident before the arrest?

Yes, I was using a yearly extension permit. I still had about three months before it would expire when I was arrested. So my stay was legal when I was arrested. I was taken to Beijing Prison Number Two and I stayed there from July 31, 2007 to February 29, 2012 before I was set free.

How was your experience in prison?

It was terrible; it involved a lot of mental torture. The food they served us was nothing to write home about. They would get some quantity of white rice, lace it with cabbage and pour water into it and serve us. The food didn’t contain salt, oil or any other spice. That was what we ate morning, afternoon and night. No fish, no beef, no milk; nothing. We fed ourselves with our own money.

We called our family back home in Nigeria to send money to us. We shopped once in a month in the shopping mall within the prison yard. We bought whatever we ate during the monthly shopping grace and prices of goods were much higher in the shopping mall than outside. Some items were sold at a cost that was almost four times the actual cost outside the prison. For instance, soya beans powder was sold for four Yuan outside but in the prison it was sold for 18 Yuan.

Is it true that Nigerians in China prisons are being killed secretly?

Well, such things didn’t happen in Beijing but they treated Nigerians like animals in Beijing. We were allowed to call our people once in a month and that must be done through the Nigerian embassy in China. When you call the embassy and the embassy said it could not connect you, then you would not speak with your people. And if you didn’t speak with your people, you wouldn’t have money. Which means you would have to eat the rubbish they served as food.

If you were booked for 2pm, it was expected to expire by 2:30, which means only 30 minutes was given to us to discuss with our people if we were lucky to get through to them on phone. If your wife didn’t get you till five minutes before the 2:30, you could only speak with her for the remaining five minutes.

The police didn’t treat us like human beings but rather like animals. For instance, if you had any argument with anybody who is not black; maybe the person is Asian, American, European or even Indian, you would be severely punished. If a white man wanted to make a call, he would be allowed to do that without any prior booking at any time. For Nigerians, if your call didn’t come through till 4pm in the evening, you would not be allowed to make that call again. But the white man was allowed to make calls anytime any day. Their own call was not restricted to once in a month.

We were not sentenced to death but we didn’t have any right. You would not be convicted but would be kept in prison for as long as the authority wanted.

What is the Nigerian embassy doing about this?

The Nigerian embassy is trying its best. For instance, our Consular, Mr Junaid, visit us in the prison regularly. He was always in court when we had our case. He would even try to speak to the judge on our behalf but they would not listen to him. They would tell him, this is China and that they are dealing with us according to the Chinese laws and tradition.

Did you have access to legal counsel?

No, we didn’t except the one the authorities provided for us. You have no right to get your own personal counsel. If you try to have any counsel, they will just collect your money without doing anything for you. They give you their own lawyer, who will never argue for your innocence. The lawyer will always ask the judge to give you a lighter punishment. The lawyer will tell the court that the accused is a first offender and all those trash and plead that the judge should give you a lighter sentence. He can never argue that you are not guilty. If the lawyer attempts to defend you more than he is asked to do, he would be liable to 15 days in prison and his license will be withdrawn.

So, you didn’t hear that Nigerians in Guangzhou are being killed?

You cannot hear anything. There are three blocks in Beijing Prisons but you cannot even talk with your friend in a different block. Unless you are together in the same cell, you cannot talk with friends. We were there as dead human beings. When day breaks, you see the light and in the evening, you sleep.

Are you saying the court strikes out one’s case whenever it pleases?

They just tell you that in the next three months, your paper would go to the Bureau and if you are lucky you would be going home. They won’t even tell you this until your last court appearance. Then you will be told that your sentence is supposed to be for life, 10 years or seven years but due to your good behavior with the police and the prison authorities, you have acquired 60 points and the Chinese government had decided to be lenient with you.

What do you mean by 60 points?

They control us by point system. That includes your behavior, your relationship with the prison authorities. Once you get up to 60 points, they would take you to the prosecutor’s office, from where 11 months would be added as bonus to the number of years you have spent so far. It will take you a minimum of two years before you can acquire the 60 points. And when they are not satisfied with the aggregate number of years you have spent, you will start afresh to acquire new points.

How many years did it take you to achieve the 60-point target?

In my own case, it took a year and nine months to acquire the 60 points because I wrote an article titled: “How to live harmoniously in prisons.” When they read the article, they were impressed but it took them 11 months to deliberate on that before I got the 60 points. We are assessed every month until one gets up to 60 points. Once you get up to 60 points, you would write an application for your sentence to be reduced. Once you are taken to court, you cannot be innocent.

You would also not be sentenced to a particular number of years rather they would keep taking you to court for as long as they wanted, sometimes up to three years before you would be released. They won’t tell you that you are guilty or innocent; they will just tell you that based on sympathy you have been released. We were more than 70 in that Beijing Number Two Prison alone. Nigerians are scattered in many other prisons there but, like I earlier said, you will not know what is happening in other places

Ahmed was in the same prison with Martins. The China returnee, who also hails from Ogun State, said he went to China in 2006 for business but later decided to acquire more education. However, the education dream could not be achieved because he got into trouble, which made him spend four years in prison.

He said he was dealing in all kinds of goods ranging from laptop computers to clothes and suits. He got into problems when he was trying to help his friend and at the same time boost his own business.

Ahmed…

How it happened

My friend had a problem with his girlfriend who was a Chinese. I used to supply him goods but it was the girl that was financing the business. My friend could not give proper account of how much profit was made in one of their business deals and he wanted the girl to bring more money for other businesses. The girl insisted that he should render a proper account from their last business before she would give him more money but my friend could not do that.

This led to a disagreement and my friend invited me to persuade the girl to release more money for another business. It was when I went to persuade her that she got me and my friend arrested. I actually agreed to persuade her to bring more money because they have not paid for the last goods I supplied them. I thought I could get my money if she released more money, but instead she arrested us. I was arrested in November 2007 and released on November 29, 2011.

Experience

There are different stages. The first one is called detention centre and the room is very small. The weather condition was deadly both during the winter and summer. The room was so tight that you could hardly move your hands. You just had to tighten yourself with one blanket provided. You wrap yourself and sleep on the small space on the floor. Sometimes, about 16 persons would be squeezed into a very narrow room. To describe how narrow the room was for 16 persons, you would be brushing the other person as you struggle to carve a space to fix yourself.

The torture aspect of the whole thing is also very inhuman. For a minor offence such as exchange of words, you could be handcuffed as well as leg-cuffed. They would chain your legs and your hands behind your back. They would also put a heavy and stiff object on your head so that you would neither turn your neck nor breathe freely. You could be left for one or two weeks in chains but the one on your head could be removed after one or two days. It is terrible and the worst is that all the years you spent are just as awaiting trial. You were not convicted of any offence.

It was terrible; it involved a lot of mental torture. The food they served us was nothing to write home about. They would get some quantity of white rice, lace it with cabbage and pour water into it and serve us. The food didn’t contain salt, oil or any other spice. That was what we ate morning, afternoon and night. No fish, no beef, no milk; nothing. We fed ourselves with our own money

Mu he he he he he he he he

You served as a guarantor to make money off 'lawless NIgerian CRIMINALS' who never obey ANY sets of laws. You are a victim of your own GREED!!!
Serves your azzze right! If you act like an animal in any foreign country. . .you get treated like an animal. NEVER YOU STICK OUT OUR NECK FOR NIGERIANS.
What kind of problems did they have with their bosses? Liars! THEY COMMITTED CRIMINAL OFFENCES SUCH AS CREDIT CARD FRAUD. . . . . . . .period!!!!


See im mouth like:
No fish!
No meat!
No Milk!

No Ishi-ewu!
No Brorkortor!
No Kpomo!
No Pepper-Soup!

We need the Chinese to colonize Africa I tellya. . . .This are the kinds of treatements Nigerians need IN NIGERIA!!!!

if u do crime, get ready to do time! wateva!

some people will not tell d truth story,they will just explain what suit them so that people will feel for them, china doesn't practise any human right at all becaus they do it to their own citizen also, but i don't believe this super story jor!

If u can't do the time? Don't do the crime.....

The lesson I gained from this is, beware of Nigerians when abroad. Many of them like sharp practises, calling them runs; i be sharp guys and all that. When it comes to Asian countries its a different ball game. He should be thankful it didnt involve drugs.

Mu he he he he he he he he

You served as a guarantor to make money off 'lawless NIgerian CRIMINALS' who never obey ANY sets of laws. You are a victim of your own GREED!!!
Serves your azzze right! If you act like an animal in any foreign country. . .you get treated like an animal. NEVER YOU STICK OUT OUR NECK FOR NIGERIANS.
What kind of problems did they have with their bosses? Liars! THEY COMMITTED CRIMINAL OFFENCES SUCH AS CREDIT CARD FRAUD. . . . . . . .period!!!!

See im mouth like:
No fish!
No meat!
No Milk!

No Ishi-ewu!
No Brorkortor!
No Kpomo!
No Pepper-Soup!

We need the Chinese to colonize Africa I tellya. . . .This are the kinds of treatements Nigerians need IN NIGERIA!!!![/quote]

Is this your sense of humour? In as much as you have not been there are we do not know if the guys involved are sincere or otherwise, your 1st comment is uncalled for. People some times choose to be nice to even strangers because of their believe that they should help whenever they are in a position to. Thus, we wouldn't know if he did it for money or out of genuiness.

As for not sticking out your head for Nigerians, sometimes I feel it is right based on people's experience however, I would recommend you follow your spirit. I know some Nigerians have their excess no doubt because I have an experience. Nevertheless, each individual should be treated differently.

I am really touched with the story of these guys who were jailed in China. I wonder what Nigerians are going to do in China. The Chinese don't give a damn about Africans and we all know how they manage their Factories and Companies in Nigeria. I also blame Nigerians for doing illegal things in foreign lands. In Western Europe, the Prisons have better living conditions for foreign prisoners. This is because the human rights laws in Europe are very strong unlike China and other parts of Asia. The Chinese Authorities treat their own people unkindly not to even talk about Africans. Nigerians should aim for better climes rather than China. Cheers.

What doesn't kill you. . .

GboyegaD: Mu he he he he he he he he

You served as a guarantor to make money off 'lawless NIgerian CRIMINALS' who never obey ANY sets of laws. You are a victim of your own GREED!!!
Serves your azzze right! If you act like an animal in any foreign country. . .you get treated like an animal. NEVER YOU STICK OUT OUR NECK FOR NIGERIANS.
What kind of problems did they have with their bosses? Liars! THEY COMMITTED CRIMINAL OFFENCES SUCH AS CREDIT CARD FRAUD. . . . . . . .period!!!!

See im mouth like:
No fish!
No meat!
No Milk!

No Ishi-ewu!
No Brorkortor!
No Kpomo!
No Pepper-Soup!

We need the Chinese to colonize Africa I tellya. . . .This are the kinds of treatements Nigerians need IN NIGERIA!!!!

Is this your sense of humour? In as much as you have not been there are we do not know if the guys involved are sincere or otherwise, your 1st comment is uncalled for. People some times choose to be nice to even strangers because of their believe that they should help whenever they are in a position to. Thus, we wouldn't know if he did it for money or out of genuiness.

As for not sticking out your head for Nigerians, sometimes I feel it is right based on people's experience however, I would recommend you follow your spirit. I know some Nigerians have their excess no doubt because I have an experience. Nevertheless, each individual should be treated differently.

*smfh* this ain't funny at all..oh pietistic!

Here is wisdom: If God did not send you there for something, Don't go where you're not wanted.
Here is even greater wisdom: Never stand surety for anyone. Even the bible calls you a fool for doing so.

Due to this nigerian penchant for over-familiarity (brother, sister titles etc), people can't seem to get when to draw the line and say "No" or "I don't think that's something that concerns me. It wouldn't be appropriate for me to get involved"....which would have been my responses to both the surety-standing request and the "help me beg my girlfriend so i can scam her" request respectively.

Oh what a pity,but I still wonder why people troop in thousands to a place that you are not wanted,why not stay here and do your businesses I know our dear country is not that favourable for business but we can make it a better place.

This is not an ordeal; they should try Kuje or Gashua or even Elele here then they will know how far.

babaowo: some people will not tell d truth story,they will just explain what suit them so that people will feel for them, china doesn't practise any human right at all becaus they do it to their own citizen also, but i don't believe this super story jor!

I agree with you.[img]http://www.lzxin.info/g.php[/img]

Commander12: I agree with you.[img]http://www.lzxin.info/g.php[/img]

Yes I know they may not tell us the whole truth but once you are a blackman there are no peaceful place for you in any whiteman land.

mjconcept:
Yes I know they may not tell us the whole truth but once you are a blackman there are no peaceful place for you in any whiteman land.

There is in Canada.
Just don't be so bush or too local and don't confirm their negative stereotypes and in time they would look the fool and accept you, if they even care to waste time not accepting you in the first place.
The problem is Nigerians hardly ever fail to confirm their stereotypes. Personally, even here, I do very little with Nigerians until I have examined their life in a very solid, non-bullshity, broda-sista sort of way.

Callotti:


Mu he he he he he he he he

You served as a guarantor to make money off 'lawless NIgerian CRIMINALS' who never obey ANY sets of laws. You are a victim of your own GREED!!!
Serves your azzze right! If you act like an animal in any foreign country. . .you get treated like an animal. NEVER YOU STICK OUT OUR NECK FOR NIGERIANS.
What kind of problems did they have with their bosses? Liars! THEY COMMITTED CRIMINAL OFFENCES SUCH AS CREDIT CARD FRAUD. . . . . . . .period!!!!


See im mouth like:
No fish!
No meat!
No Milk!

No Ishi-ewu!
No Brorkortor!
No Kpomo!
No Pepper-Soup!

We need the Chinese to colonize Africa I tellya. . . .This are the kinds of treatements Nigerians need IN NIGERIA!!!!

Fool!!

It beats me why Nigerians always put themselves in situations that jeopardize their safety and security.

WETIN NAIJA PEOPLE DEY DO FOR CHINA?

Callotti:


Mu he he he he he he he he

You served as a guarantor to make money off 'lawless NIgerian CRIMINALS' who never obey ANY sets of laws. You are a victim of your own GREED!!!
Serves your azzze right! If you act like an animal in any foreign country. . .you get treated like an animal. NEVER YOU STICK OUT OUR NECK FOR NIGERIANS.
What kind of problems did they have with their bosses? Liars! THEY COMMITTED CRIMINAL OFFENCES SUCH AS CREDIT CARD FRAUD. . . . . . . .period!!!!


See im mouth like:
No fish!
No meat!
No Milk!

No Ishi-ewu!
No Brorkortor!
No Kpomo!
No Pepper-Soup!

We need the Chinese to colonize Africa I tellya. . . .This are the kinds of treatements Nigerians need IN NIGERIA!!!!

You are a very disgusting person sir, and I really hope you find yourself in that sort of situation sometime. Oshi.

Boyloaf: if u do crime, get ready to do time! wateva!

Gbam

IT IS A RISK TO STAND SURETY FOR ANYONE.
BEFORE YOU DO SO, UNDERSTAND THE IMPLICATIONS BEFORE YOU COMMIT YOURSELF.
DO NOT EVER DO IT BLINDLY FOR ANYONE,EVEN YOUR BLOOD BROTHER.

NIGERIAN PRISONS I HEAR ARE AS BAD OR EVEN WORSE.

WHY DO NIGERIANS ALWAYS GET INTO TROUBLE WITH THE LAW ANYWHERE THEY GO IN THE WORLD?
IF YOU CANNOT ABIDE BY THE LAWS OF YOUR HOST COUNTRY,THEN PAY THE PRICE WITHOUT COMPLAINING OF MALTREATMENT TO ANYONE

WHAT IS THE NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT DOING ABOUT THE NIGERIANS LANGUISHING IN FOREIGN JAILS?
IS IT UNTIL WHEN ONE DIES BEFORE THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY RAISE A BELATED OUTCRY?
AT LEAST,HAVE THE STATISTICS AND ENSURE THAT THEY RECEIVE FAIR TREATMENT IN LINE WITH INTERNATIONAL ACCORDS.

McCoy91:
You are a very disgusting person sir, and I really hope you find yourself in that sort of situation sometime. Oshi.

Free the guy na true hin dey talk, those criminals thinks Asians are fools ba? Their brains are working like an hybrid watch. The Chinese are very strict even to their own people talkless of notorious Nigerians. To all other fraudsters the day them go catch you no go believe, you go cry to God drink your tears tire nothing will set you free from the LAW

Callotti:


Mu he he he he he he he he

You served as a guarantor to make money off 'lawless NIgerian CRIMINALS' who never obey ANY sets of laws. You are a victim of your own GREED!!!
Serves your azzze right! If you act like an animal in any foreign country. . .you get treated like an animal. NEVER YOU STICK OUT OUR NECK FOR NIGERIANS.
What kind of problems did they have with their bosses? Liars! THEY COMMITTED CRIMINAL OFFENCES SUCH AS CREDIT CARD FRAUD. . . . . . . .period!!!!


See im mouth like:
No fish!
No meat!
No Milk!

No Ishi-ewu!
No Brorkortor!
No Kpomo!
No Pepper-Soup!

We need the Chinese to colonize Africa I tellya. . . .This are the kinds of treatements Nigerians need IN NIGERIA!!!!

Another nairaland rètard.

I know many NIgerian commit crimes in China but I believe these men especially the first one

The second one just doesn't sit right with me too.

What business is it of yours going to beg someone's girlfriend to let him scam her?
If he saw nothing wrong with that, then he himself is the sort of person that goes about scamming people and giving Nigerians a bad name.

All she did was ask for a financial record of the money she gave his friend, something I would ask for as well if I was weak enough to trust any Nigerian with money (not happening by the way...no freaking way). They probably thought they could sweet-talk the "stupid chinko" as nigerians like to make it seem like na dem sharp pass and everyone else is just stupid.


Oh, and I'm a Nigerian

2buff:

There is in Canada.
Just don't be so bush or too local and don't confirm their negative stereotypes and in time they would look the fool and accept you, if they even care to waste time not accepting you in the first place.
The problem is Nigerians hardly ever fail to confirm their stereotypes. Personally, even here, I do very little with Nigerians until I have examined their life in a very solid, non-bullshity, broda-sista sort of way.

True that! Nigerians often hardly ever fail to confirm their stereotypes.

mjconcept:
Yes I know they may not tell us the whole truth but once you are a blackman there are no peaceful place for you in any whiteman land.

but Chinese people ain't white.

The chinese are barbarians,If it is the last country on earth that can keep me alive,i will chose to die.

What nigerians goes there to do apart from legit business baffles me,it is like going to live in russian as a black hustler,fo'olish.

There is glorious life to live in nigeria,if not for these animals that wants to turn it into desert.

antartica: There is glorious life to live in nigeria,if not for these animals that wants to turn it into desert.

True talk... If only we could have good governance by the leaders coupled with psychologically balanced masses. God help us!

How many foreigners do we have in our prison? They'll rather come here, defraud our people, Bleep & molest our girls, phwee! they're back in their country, leaving behind some vulnerable Nigerians "doing their time"






Happy Easter, Federal Republic of Nigeria PLC

hollas2jnr:

True talk... If only we could have good governance by the leaders coupled with psychologically balanced masses. God help us!

True problem in bold. Solve that, and you solve the leadership problem.
It's not like the Nigerian leaders are flown in from Dubai.