For Nigerians resident in Kenya, these are the worst of times. Their plight could be compared to the era of slave trade when able-bodied Africans could not tell what the next minute held for them because human traffickers could pick them up the next minute.

Checks revealed that in recent times, Nigerians have become victims of undeserved humiliation and deportation in President Barrack Obama’s country of origin.

It was gathered that due to the uproar that followed a recent publication by Sunday Sun in which one of the deportees, Anthony Chinedu, recounted his sad experiences in the hands of Kenyan security personnel, the government of the East African country swiftly changed its strategy. According to latest deportees, the Kenyan security agents have resorted to bugging telephone conversations of Nigerians, and once the name or language sounds Nigerian, they would trace the person and get him arrested.

They stated that Nigerian citizens, especially those engaged in legitimate businesses in that country live literally with their hearts on their palms, hiding from place to place for fear of being picked up and bundled back home empty handed.

It was alleged that part of the grouse that the Kenyan President and his deputy have against Nigerian citizens was that Nigerians gave massive support to his rival in the country’s recent presidential election and that a Nigerian is in charge of the deputy president’s case at the International Criminal Court.

President orders mass arrest and deportation

A tacit official confirmation that Kenya-based Nigerians were really in for hard times, came last Monday, when that country’s president, Uhuru Kenyatta, in a public function, gave his nod to mass deportation of Nigerians. While declaring open the 2nd National Conference on Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) in Nairobi, on June 11, 2013, he ordered the security agencies to fish out, arrest and deport all foreigners suspected to engage in drug trafficking in Kenya. Sunday Sun monitored the reportage of the presidential order that was relayed in Kenyan radio and TV stations including NTV, Capital FM and Ghetto Radio- 89.5FM, as well as some tabloids the next day. Some of their headlines read: “Deport all suspected drug dealers”, “Police to arrest, deport all foreigners suspected of engaging in drug”, and “Deport all suspected foreign drug dealers”. It was gathered that since that official directive, several Nigerians have been secretly deported.

Many Nigerian citizens in that country saw the presidential order as an official permission to Kenyans to tag any face they do not like, as “suspected” drug dealer. One of them who mailed Sunday Sun stated that, “since all it takes to throw a foreigner out of Kenya is mere suspicion, landlords, debtors and anybody who doesn’t like your face only needs to call in the police and brand you a suspect.”

One of the victims who identified himself simply as Joe, spoke to Sunday Sun upon his arrival at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, on Monday. Like Chinedu, he is also an indigene of Anambra state. Narrating his experiences in the hands of the Kenyan police, he stated that he was picked up Sunday night and told to choose either to die slowly in their (security men) hands or silent deportation.

“I asked them what they meant by going home silently and they said they would just buy a normal air ticket for me, so I could return to Nigeria like other normal travelers, and I chose the latter,” he said.

Joe said he learnt later, that the security agents adopted the strategy because the Nigerian High Commission in Kenya had lodged official complaint to the authorities about the deportation of Nigerian citizens without its knowledge. About a dozen Nigerian citizens resident in Kenya who reacted to Sunday Sun interview with Anthony Chinedu also confirmed that Nigerians were still being recklessly arrested and detained. They also confirmed Joe’s allegation of silent deportation.

Another deportee, Mr Paul Owoseni, an indigene of Ondo state, told a pathetic story. He told Sunday Sun while on his way to his village that he did not know his offence.

Hear him: “Many Nigerians are still detained there, as we speak, awaiting deportation. Till now, I don’t know what offence I committed that warranted this inhuman treatment. Their security agents just go on the streets of Kenya, picking up anyone they identify as a Nigerian and tag him a drug dealer. I was doing my legitimate business in that country; I did not sale, take or keep drugs, and nobody has ever seen me with any narcotic substance. They picked me up on Monday (June 3), and detained me till Thursday, before bundling about ten of us into the plane. We were not allowed to take even a pin. They told us while in detention, that they wanted all Nigerians out of their country, not minding whether we were doing legitimate business or not. They also said that they did not want to get rid of us through court process.

Tracking method

“The moment you call a friend and the security agents noticed it is a Nigerian name you called, they would track both of you and get you arrested. They also intercept calls, and once they notice that you sounded Nigerian, they would trace you and get you arrested immediately.”

Owoseni told Sunday Sun that while in Kenya, he was into importation of human hairs that he also supplied to Uganda and Tanzania, and he had just stocked his shop. Oseni alleged that the security agents broke his gate while he was away on the day they came to arrest him, at about 5pm, and waited for him.

“They even arrested a friend that was in my company at that time. I will not mention his name because he is among those in detention in Kenya.”

Kenyan wife works with Kenyan army

Owoseni who arrived in Nigeria with nothing, said like many other Nigerians, he was married to a Kenyan and they had a child, Micheal. He stated that his Kenyan wife, Damaris, who works for the Kenyan army, was still at work when he was arrested, and they did not allow him to communicate with her before he was deported. Like the other deportees, he urged that the Nigerian government should not let all their struggles in Kenya to be in vain.

Another Deportee speaks

Also forced out of Kenya, was Oluwatosin Adebiyi, an indigene of Oyo State, who was arrested at midnight and taken away in his nightclothes. “They stormed my house at midnight and arrested me. They were about 40 armed men, and before I was taken away, they ransacked the house and took away all handy valuables including my $20,000 cash, five phones and three ipads belonging to me and my wife. My duplex, two cars and other valuables in the house are worth over N60 million. “The most annoying part was that they rendered me incommunicado, disallowed me from communicating with my Kenyan wife and children. They did not give me any option while in detention.”

They jumped into my compound around 1 a.m. -Daniel

Another deportee, Mr Daniel, narrated his ordeal in Kenya. “On Sunday night (June 2), about 15 policemen who were armed to the teeth, came to my house. They actually scaled the fence like criminals, around 1 a.m., and ordered me to open my door. Initially, I thought they were armed robbers

Ile-Ife:
For Nigerians resident in Kenya, these are the worst of times. Their plight could be compared to the era of slave trade when able-bodied Africans could not tell what the next minute held for them because human traffickers could pick them up the next minute.

Checks revealed that in recent times, Nigerians have become victims of undeserved humiliation and deportation in President Barrack Obama’s country of origin.

It was gathered that due to the uproar that followed a recent publication by Sunday Sun in which one of the deportees, Anthony Chinedu, recounted his sad experiences in the hands of Kenyan security personnel, the government of the East African country swiftly changed its strategy. According to latest deportees, the Kenyan security agents have resorted to bugging telephone conversations of Nigerians, and once the name or language sounds Nigerian, they would trace the person and get him arrested.

They stated that Nigerian citizens, especially those engaged in legitimate businesses in that country live literally with their hearts on their palms, hiding from place to place for fear of being picked up and bundled back home empty handed.

It was alleged that part of the grouse that the Kenyan President and his deputy have against Nigerian citizens was that Nigerians gave massive support to his rival in the country’s recent presidential election and that a Nigerian is in charge of the deputy president’s case at the International Criminal Court.

President orders mass arrest and deportation

A tacit official confirmation that Kenya-based Nigerians were really in for hard times, came last Monday, when that country’s president, Uhuru Kenyatta, in a public function, gave his nod to mass deportation of Nigerians. While declaring open the 2nd National Conference on Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) in Nairobi, on June 11, 2013, he ordered the security agencies to fish out, arrest and deport all foreigners suspected to engage in drug trafficking in Kenya. Sunday Sun monitored the reportage of the presidential order that was relayed in Kenyan radio and TV stations including NTV, Capital FM and Ghetto Radio- 89.5FM, as well as some tabloids the next day. Some of their headlines read: “Deport all suspected drug dealers”, “Police to arrest, deport all foreigners suspected of engaging in drug”, and “Deport all suspected foreign drug dealers”. It was gathered that since that official directive, several Nigerians have been secretly deported.

Many Nigerian citizens in that country saw the presidential order as an official permission to Kenyans to tag any face they do not like, as “suspected” drug dealer. One of them who mailed Sunday Sun stated that, “since all it takes to throw a foreigner out of Kenya is mere suspicion, landlords, debtors and anybody who doesn’t like your face only needs to call in the police and brand you a suspect.”

One of the victims who identified himself simply as Joe, spoke to Sunday Sun upon his arrival at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, on Monday. Like Chinedu, he is also an indigene of Anambra state. Narrating his experiences in the hands of the Kenyan police, he stated that he was picked up Sunday night and told to choose either to die slowly in their (security men) hands or silent deportation.

“I asked them what they meant by going home silently and they said they would just buy a normal air ticket for me, so I could return to Nigeria like other normal travelers, and I chose the latter,” he said.

Joe said he learnt later, that the security agents adopted the strategy because the Nigerian High Commission in Kenya had lodged official complaint to the authorities about the deportation of Nigerian citizens without its knowledge. About a dozen Nigerian citizens resident in Kenya who reacted to Sunday Sun interview with Anthony Chinedu also confirmed that Nigerians were still being recklessly arrested and detained. They also confirmed Joe’s allegation of silent deportation.

Another deportee, Mr Paul Owoseni, an indigene of Ondo state, told a pathetic story. He told Sunday Sun while on his way to his village that he did not know his offence.

Hear him: “Many Nigerians are still detained there, as we speak, awaiting deportation. Till now, I don’t know what offence I committed that warranted this inhuman treatment. Their security agents just go on the streets of Kenya, picking up anyone they identify as a Nigerian and tag him a drug dealer. I was doing my legitimate business in that country; I did not sale, take or keep drugs, and nobody has ever seen me with any narcotic substance. They picked me up on Monday (June 3), and detained me till Thursday, before bundling about ten of us into the plane. We were not allowed to take even a pin. They told us while in detention, that they wanted all Nigerians out of their country, not minding whether we were doing legitimate business or not. They also said that they did not want to get rid of us through court process.

Tracking method

“The moment you call a friend and the security agents noticed it is a Nigerian name you called, they would track both of you and get you arrested. They also intercept calls, and once they notice that you sounded Nigerian, they would trace you and get you arrested immediately.”

Owoseni told Sunday Sun that while in Kenya, he was into importation of human hairs that he also supplied to Uganda and Tanzania, and he had just stocked his shop. Oseni alleged that the security agents broke his gate while he was away on the day they came to arrest him, at about 5pm, and waited for him.

“They even arrested a friend that was in my company at that time. I will not mention his name because he is among those in detention in Kenya.”

Kenyan wife works with Kenyan army

Owoseni who arrived in Nigeria with nothing, said like many other Nigerians, he was married to a Kenyan and they had a child, Micheal. He stated that his Kenyan wife, Damaris, who works for the Kenyan army, was still at work when he was arrested, and they did not allow him to communicate with her before he was deported. Like the other deportees, he urged that the Nigerian government should not let all their struggles in Kenya to be in vain.

Another Deportee speaks

Also forced out of Kenya, was Oluwatosin Adebiyi, an indigene of Oyo State, who was arrested at midnight and taken away in his nightclothes. “They stormed my house at midnight and arrested me. They were about 40 armed men, and before I was taken away, they ransacked the house and took away all handy valuables including my $20,000 cash, five phones and three ipads belonging to me and my wife. My duplex, two cars and other valuables in the house are worth over N60 million. “The most annoying part was that they rendered me incommunicado, disallowed me from communicating with my Kenyan wife and children. They did not give me any option while in detention.”

They jumped into my compound around 1 a.m. -Daniel

Another deportee, Mr Daniel, narrated his ordeal in Kenya. “On Sunday night (June 2), about 15 policemen who were armed to the teeth, came to my house. They actually scaled the fence like criminals, around 1 a.m., and ordered me to open my door. Initially, I thought they were armed robbers

http://sunnewsonline.com/new/national/mass-deportation-of-nigerians-from-kenya/

Seven Kenyan officials held in Lagos over deported 'Nigerian'
By EMEKA-MAYAKA GEKARA | Monday, June 17 2013 at 09:19


Nigerian Anthony Chinedu held at Kileleshwa police station in Nairobi on April 14, 2013. PHOTO| BILLY MUTAI.

Seven Kenyan government officials and five airline crew have been detained in Nigeria for two weeks after they travelled to the country to deport Nigerian businessman Anthony Chinedu and two of his compatriots.

The officials from different government departments including foreign affairs, immigration and police, left Nairobi for Lagos in a chartered aeroplane on June 3 escorting the controversial businessman and two other Nigerians, Christopher Nnanyelu and Oluwatosin Adebiyi. The three had been declared prohibited immigrants in Kenya.

However, in a dramatic turn of events, the officials have not been allowed to leave Nigeria. They said authorities at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos were holding them and their chartered East African Safari Express plane.

According to them, Nigerian authorities have insisted the Kenyans will not be allowed to fly out without the three men Kenya kicked out on drug trafficking claims.

Speaking to the Daily Nation from Nigeria on Sunday, one of the officials, who requested anonymity, said that attempts by the Kenyan embassy to secure their release had been unsuccessful.

Escorted deportees

Those stuck in Nigeria include Captain Tim Kavingo and his colleagues, flight engineer Alaka Ochieng’ and flight attendants George Kamau and Ismail Adan.

First officer Rokshanker Masoud, a Swede, is also affected.

The government officials who escorted the deportees were Mr Barasa Okosa, Mr Kariuki Ngugi, Mr Mungathia Muriira, Mr Pardala Dipason, Mr Kivuva Muthama, Mr Andrew Kambi and Mr Mutinda Kakindu.

A Nigerian journalist confirmed to the Nation that the aircraft was being held at the airport’s cargo air wing. The airline’s office in Nairobi did not return our calls on Sunday.

Sources indicated that the government of Sweden had already contacted its embassy in Nigeria to secure the release of the flight officer.

“We are stranded here. The airport commander has instructed that we cannot return to Nairobi without the deportees,” said the official who called the Nation from his hotel room.

The airport commander had blocked attempts by the East Africa Safari Express management to fly its crew back to Nairobi on a Kenya Airways flight. On Sunday evening, Foreign Affairs ministry’s Head of Communication Beatrice Kung’u admitted that several Kenyans, who accompanied the Nigerians deported 10 days ago, were still being held in Lagos.

But she could not discuss the circumstances under which the Nigerian authorities were detaining them.

“We are addressing the issue,” she said, but added that only the Immigration authorities could discuss the details.

Principal Secretary in the Interior ministry Mutea Iringo on Sunday said he was yet to receive information on the plight of the crew, but said he would check with the police.

They lost contact with the deportees after they arrived in Nigeria, the PS, under whose ministry Immigration falls, said.

Nairobi, Kenya: Kenya has initiated diplomatic talks with Nigerian authorities aimed at securing the release of Government officers who are held in Lagos.

Kenya has been grappling on how to secure the release of seven Government officials and five-airline crew of a private jet that was chattered to deport 10 foreigners, including five Nigerians, among them controversial businessman Anthony Chinedu, who had a long running court battle with his former wife Alice Akinyi about two weeks.

The 12 have been detained for almost two weeks at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, as Nigerian authorities claim Antony Chinedu was not procedurally deported. The charted plane belonging to East African Safari Express has also been detained.

Yesterday, Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed revealed she had made contact with Nigeria but refused to divulge information on the level of engagement.

Amina said providing more details on the saga may jeopardise the consultations and thus affect the progress of ensuring Kenyans and the jet are released.

“There are a lot of bilateral consultations between the two governments to see how the issue can be resolved, I can’t give you more information as it will complicate issues under consultation,” she said.

chidindufrank: See Kenya playing dirty international politics against us. Mr President I urge to appoint Reuben Abati as the chairman of Nigerian task force team against this long legged charcoals from East/Central Africa. We can handle this kenyans without sweating.

Afam4eva: This is totally unacceptable. Our goverment have to rise up to the occassion and do something about this.

olewao: All am wondering is, if this thing called Nigeria is 'giant of Africa', why do its citizens go everywhere to engage in dirty businesses?

Nigerians are No. 1 criminals worldwide, and thats is no secret.

Regards,
Olewao
Chicago.