Police Arrest Nkem Owoh In Holland

Here is a different account of the story for your perusal.

"One of Nollywood’s most popular actors, Nkem Owoh, had a bitter experience in the hands of the police in The Netherlands last weekend after they stormed the venue of his musical show in Amsterdam and whisked him away alongside over 200 Nigerians.

Our source informed that no fewer than 70 of the Nigerians who did not have valid papers in the country have been deported as a result of the raid.

But Owoh, who is better known in the make-believe business as Osuofia, was said to have been arrested over his popular song, ‘I Go Chop Your Dollar.’

The song, which had earlier been banned in Nigeria by both the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission (NBC), our source said, was used to promote the show in Amsterdam, an action that reportedly infuriated the security operatives.

‘I Go Chop Your Dollar’ dwells on the tricks Nigerian fraudsters, known as 419, use in duping unsuspecting Westerners of huge sums of money in foreign currency.

The Netherlands police were said to have stormed the venue of the show in a helicopter about 2a.m and arrested practically everybody at the venue.

We gathered that the show attracted a large number of Nigerians living in the central European country and both the police and immigration authorities that had been on the trial of illegal immigrants, especially from Nigeria, saw it as an opportunity to rid them off their society.

"Over 200 of them (Nigerians) were arrested that night. It was a big haul; they came with helicopter and cars and circled the whole area. As I speak with you, over 70 of those apprehended that night have been deported for possession of expired or fake immigration papers.

"Osuofia was also whisked away but was released hours after," the source said.

http://www.independentngonline.com/?c=181&a=29088

Can you see what really happened now?  This raid was not about 419, it was about Nigerians living in Spain with false papers.  Apart from Mr. Owoh's humorous song, there's no link between his show and 419.  I understand that the 419 menace is a big problem, but let's not react with our emotions.  The people who congregated at that show were Nigerians in general, not 419ers in particular.  Their crime was not scamming but illegal immigration.

Please correct this if you can.  I'll appreciate it very much.

Regards,
Seun Osewa
http://www.nairaland.com/