The Nigerian Bar Association has dragged the British Airways before the Federal High Court in Lagos, following the maltreatment of its Nigerian passenger, Mr Ayo Omotade.

In a motion ex-parte jointly filed by Omotade, NBA and its President, Mr Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), the plaintiffs are seeking the leave of the court to enforce Omotade‘s human rights against the BA.

Omotade, a Nigerian citizen and an information technology consultant based in Chatham, Kent, United Kingdom, was one of the Nigerian passengers on the BA’s flight.

He was said to have expressed concern in the way a Nigerian deportee, who was handcuffed and screaming in pidgin English — I go die o, was being restrained by the UK police officers.

Omotade, who reportedly pleaded with the officers not to kill the deportee, was said to have been humiliated and handcuffed, just as he was branded as ‘disruptive passenger.‘

The plaintiffs are asking the court to declare that the arrest, detention, humiliation and the persecution of Omotade on March 27 on board the BA‘s flight BA075 from London to Lagos without lawful justification was illegal.

They added that the development was a violation of Omotade‘s rights to personal liberty, freedom of movement and expression, protection against racial and ethnic discrimination and protection from cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment.

The plaintiffs are also asking the court to restrain BA and its agents from further arresting, molesting or persecuting Omotade.

Agbakoba also wants the court to hold that as a human rights activist, public interest litigator and president of the NBA, he is competent to initiate the suit on behalf of Nigerian passengers numbering over 100 on the BA‘s flight in the public interest.

NBA further urged the court to declare that as the umbrella association of Nigerian lawyers with a stake in advancing the human rights of Nigerians all over the world, it is competent to join in filing the suit.

The plaintiffs are therefore demanding public apology from the BA, saying that the apology should be published in five major Nigerian dailies.

They are also asking the BA to pay compensatory damages to Omotade for his unlawful arrest and detention.

No date has been fixed for the hearing of the matter.

http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art200804293422851

Very good move!!!

This is so bloody stupid and proves once again that the Nigerian authorities have nothing better to do than to blow a lot of hot air and gas.

Upon all the wahala facing Nigerians in Nigeria not to mention the ones currently incarcerated around the world, including nearly 2000 criminals languishing in UK jails which the Nigeria government refuses to acknowledge, it is Omotade, A BRITISH citizen, who they want to make noise for.

Unbelievable!

very good move and commendable as well,now our nba are waking up to their responsibilities and i hope they push this to a logical conclusion,and i wish b.a will be banned so it ll send a clear message to other carriers dont disrespect us if you r making money off us

hhhmmm,  Will the bar association aid in suing the Nigerian government as well for violation of Nigerian people‘s rights to personal liberty, freedom of movement and expression, protection against racial and ethnic discrimination and[b] protection from cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment perpetrated by the very government itself.[/b]

well the nba under olisa agbakoba are living up to their responsibilities from what i have seen over the years, and this action is just another feather in their cap as far as im concerned

Below is the story of what happenned on 27th of March. Judge for yourself. It a shame to treat us like that.


This is a call to boycott British Airways Flights until an Appology is given to the Nigerians that were offloaded From this flight.
Please read on!!!

On the 27th of March 2008 at about 12:30pm, I boarded the British Airways flight BA75 and I went straight to seat 53C.
On getting to my seat, there were noises from an individual being forcibly restrained but who was not visible because some police officers and some plain clothes people held him down. The noise continued for more than 20 minutes and I was concerned because the individual was screaming in agony and shouting in pidgin English "I go die" meaning, I will die. I pleaded with the officers not to kill him and my exact words were "please don't kill him". The British Airways staff said that the officers were doing their jobs and that nothing was going to happen. The noise became louder and other passengers started getting concerned and were complaining especially about their safety. The situation continued for another 15 minutes after I got on.
Eventually, a member of the cabin crew announced that the passenger was going to be removed and the passenger was removed from the plane and we all thought that was the end of the situation. Five minutes later, two members of the cabin crew arrived with about 4 police officers and told me to get off the plane. I asked what the matter was and they said that I was not going to travel with the airline because the cabin crew thought I had been disruptive by questioning the noise being caused by the person that was removed. I pleaded with them that I was going for my brother's wedding and that I had all his stuff with me. I was dragged out of the plane as if I was resisting arrest. As we got to the corridor that linked the plane with the terminal building, I was slammed against the wall and made to sit on the floor. I was still pleading with them telling them that they had completely misunderstood me and that I was only complaining about the situation regarding the disturbances caused by the deportee they were trying to restrain and subdue. I was on the floor for about 20 to 25 minutes. Another passenger was brought to the corridor as well and he was also pleading with the officers.
I was later put in the back of the police van at about 1:50pm and I was locked up there for about an hour or more still handcuffed. I was formally arrested approximately 2:30pm and my rights were read to me. Before the arrest in the van, I managed to reach for my pocket and brought out my mobile phone. I made some phone calls to my wife, sister and a friend while the low battery sign was on because I was all alone and still handcuffed.

I was later driven to the police station where I was formally checked in. I was in police custody for almost 8 hours and later released on bail after the interview with the duty solicitor and the detectives. I had £473.00 on me which was seized as well as £90.00 sent to my mother in-law from my sister in-law and £1,050.00 given to me by my cousin who is a doctor for the upkeep of his parents in Nigeria. All the money together was £1,613.00. I was told that I would appear in a magistrate court to prove the money was not meant for crime or proceeds of crime. The officer told me that they will like to see traceability and that I needed my payslips and bank account detailing my payments and withdrawals as well as my cousin's payments and withdrawals.

I was released but without the money. I made my way to terminal 4 and arrived there at about 12:30am but the British Airways kiosks were closed. I was directed to the staff room and told them that I wanted to rebook my trip to Lagos. A lady told me to give her my ticket and she stated that British Airways has banned me from travelling with them indefinitely and that only the managers can use their discretions because I was a 'disruptive passenger'. I requested for my 2 piece luggage and she told me that the section will be opened later at about 5:30am and I will be escorted in to collect them. I slept on the chair and waited till about 5:30am and attempted to rebook my ticket but was told that British Airways refused to take me. I decided to go and pick up my stuff and I was told that my luggage were missing. I was handed a form with reference number LONBA90924. At this point, I became totally stranded because I could not leave without my luggage because it contained my brother's wedding suit, shirts and accessories.

I was on the phone with my wife and she wanted to book an alternative flight that departs at 10:15am so that I could make it for the wedding. This was not possible because British Airways refused to disclose where my luggages were and did not remove my luggage from the flight when they called the police to arrest me.

On Monday 31st of March, I appeared at the Magistrate court but was told that a decision was made about the £1,613.00 that was seized from me. The police had been granted a further 90 days to hold on to the money pending their investigation. I was given the officer's details . He requested 12 months bank statements and 6 months payslip to prove that the £473.00 that belongs to me was not proceeds of crime and also requested that the £1,050.00 that was given to me by my cousin for his parents should also be traced to my cousin's 12 months bank statement and 6 months payslip. DC Webster has promised to write me detailing these requests.

Still on Monday 31st of March 4 days after I was taken off the plane, I made extra efforts to find out the whereabouts of my 2 piece luggage (LONBA90924), because they have not been sent to my address as promised by calling the lost baggage section at 13:44hrs and spoke to a man called Neil who said that, it is difficult for them to trace my bags and that there is a strong possibility that they might be in Lagos. He suggested that I should call back in 24 hours.

Eventually, one week and one day later, my bags were brought to me at home. One was badly damaged and the other was intact. British Airways delibrately made sure I missed the wedding because if they were kicking me off their flight, they would have removed my bags from the flight. They were all there when the police officers made me to sit on the floor and heard me pleading to allow me fly for my brother's wedding. I could have made either KLM or Virgin Nigeria the following Friday morning.

I will not want to believe that the authorities involved in the situation deliberately or cleverly punished me unnecessarily out of frustration for not being able to restrain or subdue a deportee or that I as a fee paying passenger was accused of affray with violence when I was voicing my concerns about the disturbances caused by the deportees. I never mentioned any abusive or swear words neither was I physically threatening anyone. My luggage mysteriously was lost and I have been banned on all British Airways flights without a chance to say my part of the story to redeem myself. 135 passengers were asked to leave the flight because they expressed displeasure regarding the disturbances caused by the deportees and the officers trying to restrain him. My ticket was even refused to be endorsed by BA to enable me to fly with another airline. I need full compensation of my loss and also a letter of apology from British Airways.
Regards

Ayodeji Omotade

@Jamco45

Mr Ayodeji Omotade. I feel sorry to hear about your predicament and also other animalistic acts been melted out on Nigerians. have you filed a petition against BA as an individual? You surely deserve full compensation and open apology from them. Justice shall surely prevail. One Love Africa.

we'll see if BA will show up at that dilapilated courthouse.

Is the boycott now effective?

The arrogant BA can't be arsed though.

This thing reminds of me an observation we made when I headed a voluntary organisation.

We helped quite a lot of refugees from various parts of the world and sometimes, we organised campaigns and demonstrations to support the points that we wanted to press home. We held vigils to prevent people being snatched and deported etc.

One thing we noted at the time was that the Africans hardly ever came out to support and of the rallies and demonstrations except when they were in dire straits. As soon as they felt they were not at risk of deportation, they could not care one jot about other people who may be in such situations until they find the Home Office is seeking them again. Fortunately, there were always other good natured people who will always stand up to try and ensure that others did not suffer if it's avoidable.

If you laugh at your brother when he has problems, there will be people laughing at you when your day of tribulation arrives.

The main issue we have in Nigeria today is not that we do not have laws but that we do not respect those laws enough to want to enforce and keep them and there is bound to be collision when we find ourselves in a different place where those laws are not tailor made to serve our self centered need to have our way all the time but more to the good of the majority. It is better to see that the law is upheld no matter where one finds self and it is always a good idea to start from home. I am yet to be convinced that what the Nigerian Bar Association is trying to do in this case is play their cards in such a way that should they have a chance, they get noticed outside of Nigeria. These same watch as millions of human rights cases go untouched, year after year and this case which happened just some weeks ago is getting full priority? The country has been dealing with so many serious issues for years now but this case get's priority with government?? I still would like to know, in the end, what all this attention is really for.