16 Nigerians killed in E’Guinea
…12 others languish in jail
From CHUKS ONUOHA Aba
Wednesday, March 18, 2009


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A total of sixteen Nigerians, residing in Equatorial Guinea , have been murdered in cold blood, while 128 others are languishing in jail, after they were tagged coup plotters and arrested by the government of the day ,in an exercise that could be described as renewed aggression against Nigerian nationals in that country.

Out of the number of those who were murdered, three were shot at the beach , one inside the town, while he was looking for something to eat and twelve others beaten to death inside their cell rooms.

Following this development, Nigerians in that country have gone into hiding , to avoid regular raids organized to get them arrested dead or alive.
The latest incident was the shooting, last Friday of an Ilaje boy, who having been famished by hunger, came out of hiding to look for food to eat.

He was cut down by hail of bullets from the barrels of combined security operatives who sighted and recognized him as a Nigerian.
[b]In a petition written to the President of the Senate, David Mark, by members of Nigeria/Malabo Boat Operators Association, signed by the Secretary, Ebong Sunday , dated March 10, 2009, made available to Daily Sun in Aba, the members called on the Senate president to intervene in the situation with a view to causing the government of Equatorial Guinea to release 128 Nigerians who are still being detained in their prisons.

“They should also set free our eleven boats and all the merchandise therein as twelveare already dead and 128 in their cell . Our entire lives are in danger if the government of Equatorial Guinea are allowed to punish innocent Nigerians who knew nothing about breach of Security in that country,” the petition stated.
Speaking to Daily Sun on the matter, Chief Marcelenus Duru, a concerned Nigerian , who managed to escape from Malabo, the Guinean capital, under the guise of a missionary said that what he saw there was exhibition of hatred and cruelty against Nigerian nationals in that country.

According to the petition, “on February 17, 2009, while eleven of our boats anchored on the Malabo Port, some trying to off-load their goods and others already loaded and ready to sail to Nigeria, the Equatorial Guinea Police, Navy and Customs swooped on 68 Nigerian crew men on the beach and other Nigerians found on the streets of Malabo, arrested and took them to their central police station and detained them their . They openly shot dead three Nigerian in cold blood , one Mr shola jide and two others.”

Meanwhile, 128 Nigerians are languishing in Malabo prisons and Daily Sun learnt that authorities in the country are threatening to kill them. As we are writing this letter, the authorities have acquired the services of cranes to lift our boats with the merchandise out of the port. The reasons for this inhuman treatment is yet to be made public officially.[/b][b]Some of the names of those in jail are Captain Nnamdi Nnani, Eng Sunday Dorawola, Captain Fred Waroga, Gabriel Effiong, Friday Udo, Udo Ukpong, Eng Mathew Tom, Ariyo Ebouno, Captain Femi Ebeiesuwa, Eng Festus Ogundeji, Eng Nasiri Oyetomi, Ojola Ajuwaye, Omalade Olademeji, Glory Ago Korolo, Kola Victor, Sylvester Hwatu, Emmanuel Sunday, Lucky Michael, Joseph Edet, Etim Ukara, Robinson Udechukwu , Authority Ayomike, Henry Eniola and forty others are now in Guinean prison.[/b]But from what we gathered informally, a group of persons were said to have gone to Malabo prison situated inside the presidential villa to forcefully free some white men jailed as a result of their involvement in a coup plot three years ago. Then there was shooting and exchange of firing between them and prison security Officials. I t was these people that they claimed were Niger Delta Militants from Nigeria, which made them to start dealing with any Nigerian they see.”

It was reported that about three years ago, a coup which was allegedly sponsored by the son of the then British Prime Minister Magerete Thatcher was botched and some of the white men who were involved were arrested and jailed by Theodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogos Government.

Nigerians in this Country are mostly traders who trade on mattresses, food stuff rubber products etc and claim to be duly registered both in Nigeria and Malabo. Some are artisans like Mechanics, electricians shoe makers drivers etc. In fact, there are nothing less than nothing less than 40,000 Nigerians resident in that country.
Following the experience of Nigerians in that country, some members of the Association of Nigeria/Malabo Boat Operators were said to have gone to the Governor of Cross River state Lione Imoke on February 23 to register their protest over ill-treatment meted out to Nigerians by Guinean Authorities.

Earlier on February 20, the same group went to the Consulate General of Equatorial Guinea in Calabar to register a peaceful protest of what their Government is doing to Nigerians in that Country and implored them to plead with their police , Navy and other security agents to release Nigerians detained in that Country,
Efforts made to make Guinean Government show one Nigerian who they said participated in their assumed coup did not yield any result as they continue to comb for Nigerians where ever they are. An inside source from the presidency said that the Government in power used the incident as a ploy to arrest and sack some cabinet members who are in the presidents bad book.

Some Minister and cabinet members of the Government are thrown into jail with Nigerian nationas who they alleged are accomplices to the alleged coup.
Meanwhile , every effort made by the Nigerian consulate to that Country to see those who were arrested have been rebuffed by the police at the Central police station , Malabo.
Last week , when the consulate went to the police to seek access to see the Nigerian boys who were arrested, he was said to have been pushed out of the police station and threatened to be beaten up if he did not leave the station.

It is no longer news that Guinean are always pointing accusing fingers to Nigerians whenever anything goes wrong with their Country.

For now , every Nigerian in that Country is living in fear as their safety is no longer guaranteed.
It could be recalled that Equotorial Guinea got their Independence in 1968 and inherited some Nigerians who were working in their Cocoa farms . With the exit of their Colonians masters, these Nigerians were turned into slaves . It took the intervention of the Government of Muritala Muhammed of the blessed memory to liberate these Nigerians and for the first time, over 40000 Nigerians came home from Equatorial Guinea.

Their first president , Macais Nguema was overthrown in August 3, 1979 by his cousin Theodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasago, who killed his cousin during the coup detat.
It was when he formed a new Government that Nigerians went back to that Country , having seen the end of that despotic era of Macais Nguema.

Ever since Nigerians have continued to do business with them and are as well doing well , till last month when all hell was let loose and Nigerians were being hunted as preys.
In late February 1985, about 500 Nigerian workers escaped to Nigerian embassy in Malabo after a Nigerian was killed in a clash. Ships and aircrafts were sent to go and evacuate them. The Nigerian foreign Minister then said that the workers were illegally recruited as slaves. The president , Mbasogo apologized for the workers death and two of his men were sent as delegates to come and apologize to Nigeria.

The two major tribes that make up Equatorial Guinea are the Fang who control 80% of the population of the mainland and the Bube people who are the owners of the Island. The minority tribes are the Balangue and the Bechuba who are the minority , occupying the coastal areas of the Island.
Domination of the Fang people ,is said to be bringing opposition from time to time.

http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2009/mar/18/national-18-03-2009-05.htm

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