136 Nigerians Kicked Off British Airways Flight!

https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=35104533&postID=6911255261644997183

comment on same topic @ Funmi Iyanda's Blog

Bisola said, 
Don't believe everything you read. Or at least, try and verify the story first.

I felt the same level of indignation while reading the story but something rang false. It just didn't seem possible that all the guy said was 'please don't kill him' and yet he was arrested and treated in that way. Why him and not the other passengers? And let's be honest, how many naijas in such a situation would have just said 'please don't kill him' without aggression? I'm sorry but it's just not in our nature to do so. In such situations, we become quite aggressive, especially if we feel our rights are being trampled upon.

Anyhoo,  just this evening, i decided to give my sis the jist and her hubby was there. He immediately asked me where i'd heard the story and then told me that his brother and a friend were both at the airport that day and had had their flights delayed as a result of this incident. It was while waiting for their flight that the economy passengers on mr. omotade's flight came out and told them what had happened.

Apparently, Mr. omotade DID try to intervene, but rather than ask the officials not to kill the deportee, he got quite aggressive and insulting. Now air traffic rules are clear. Assault on airline staff is not tolerated on any level, and assault is not only defined as physical assault. Raising your voice or issuing threats against an airline official is deemed as an assault. Long and short, not only was mr. omotade aggressive, he also started to whip up sentiments, such that the other passengers got involved. It was at that point that the officials decided to remove the deportee from the plane and report mr. omotade's behaviour to the police and the laws being what they were, he was immediately arrested.

Now, according to all the passengers on that flight, when they attempted to arrest mr. omotade, he actually STRIPPED DOWN TO HIS BOXERS while resisting arrest, insisting that he had done nothing wrong, since he hadn't physically assaulted any of the airline staff. Still, he was bundled off the plane and then the pilot decided he couldn't fly any of the economy passengers because they too had joined in the fray. He said he didn't feel safe, so they were all evacuated and the deportee was taken back on to the plane. The plane flew to lagos with only first and business class passengers (and of course, the deportee).

This story was corroborated by 2 different people at 2 different times, so i'm quite sure it's true. Mr. omotade needs to apologise for speaking half truths. In the first place, what was his business with the deportee? Did he know him from anywhere? Did he know why he was being deported? Of course, anybody in such a situation, resisting deportation would try to whip up sentiment and unfortunately, mr. omotade himself got caught up in the 'we have our rights' thing. He should have simply minded his business.

Friday, April 11, 2008 11:27:00 PM