Give us a first hand information about how you are being treated in Germany?
Is it true that people carry their passports around for fear of the police and immigration officials?
Have you ever been harrassed by the Dutch police?
How do you compare the German police to NPF?

link: http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=125743
watch: http://media.at5.nl/items/070616_actie.wmv

Dutch police raid W/A migrants' club


, arrest popular Nigerian actor - Nkem Owoh and others ?.
Dutch police last Saturday raided a popular club in Amsterdam frequented mostly by West African migrants and arrested over 100 suspected illegal immigrants.

According to the Amsterdam police spokesperson Bert Huijzendveld, most of the arrested persons were picked on suspicion of their involvement in internet. crimes popularly referred to as '419'.

'After ripping off their victims, they come to here to spend most of their booty, this exercise is being done in collaboration with our counterparts in the United States, the idea is to flush out these criminals and it has had a very positive effect?

At around 1 am, the police sealed off completely the surroundings of the 'Vervolg Grand cafe' located within the precincts of the Amsterdam Ajax Arena in the Bijlmer, - home to most migrants in The Netherlands and asked every visitor to the caf? to provide a proof of identity and residence permit.

Visitors to the cafe, mostly Nigerians were enjoying performances of popular Nigerian actor Nkem Owoh (Osofia) when the estimated sixty policemen arrived with horses, dogs, vans and buses to transport the 111 arrested illegal immigrants.

Nkem Owoh was briefly detained and released after his identity was confirmed.

Most of the arrested illegal immigrants (both sexes) have been sent to the deportation center at Schiphol airport and are expected to be deported shortly without trial.

It is believed that most of the fraudsters operate from Amsterdam sending millions of scam mails to all over the world and have defrauded many victims of large sums running into several million dollars.

Some unfortunate natives of West Africa were also affected by the raid.

Last year similar raids took place at popular Nigerian hangouts where many of such fraudsters were arrested.

See video of police raid:

Dutch police raid W/A migrants' club
NEW. Watch live television from Ghana plus the latest Ghanaian movies.

, arrest popular Nigerian actor - Nkem Owoh and others ?.
Dutch police last Saturday raided a popular club in Amsterdam frequented mostly by West African migrants and arrested over 100 suspected illegal immigrants.

According to the Amsterdam police spokesperson Bert Huijzendveld, most of the arrested persons were picked on suspicion of their involvement in internet. crimes popularly referred to as '419'.

'After ripping off their victims, they come to here to spend most of their booty, this exercise is being done in collaboration with our counterparts in the United States, the idea is to flush out these criminals and it has had a very positive effect?

At around 1 am, the police sealed off completely the surroundings of the 'Vervolg Grand cafe' located within the precincts of the Amsterdam Ajax Arena in the Bijlmer, - home to most migrants in The Netherlands and asked every visitor to the caf? to provide a proof of identity and residence permit.

Visitors to the cafe, mostly Nigerians were enjoying performances of popular Nigerian actor Nkem Owoh (Osofia) when the estimated sixty policemen arrived with horses, dogs, vans and buses to transport the 111 arrested illegal immigrants.

Nkem Owoh was briefly detained and released after his identity was confirmed.

Most of the arrested illegal immigrants (both sexes) have been sent to the deportation center at Schiphol airport and are expected to be deported shortly without trial.

It is believed that most of the fraudsters operate from Amsterdam sending millions of scam mails to all over the world and have defrauded many victims of large sums running into several million dollars.

Some unfortunate natives of West Africa were also affected by the raid.

Last year similar raids took place at popular Nigerian hangouts where many of such fraudsters were arrested.

See video of police raid:

http://media.at5.nl/items/070616_actie.wmv

this is terrible.Is it that Africans are just been victimized or the people held are in the country illegally.I see foreign nationals from these coountries walking freely on the street of lagos without been held,they are also involved in dubios activities;who do u think make those fake cds and so on.Only God can help us from this second slavery

This was a very inhuman and racial act of the Dutch police. It has also been condemned by Dutch parlement parties as Groenlinks and D66. In a so called civilized country one can't go to a social event  and arrest  people just on suspicision or assumptions.  Just because they know that half of the vistors do not have papers it does not automatically means that they are into 419. They even arrested 'Osuofia' and later let him go. Those of us here are quite aware that police are controlling people with no papers often in areas but for them to come and do it at social events is extreme and contraversial.

It baffles me how these people think that we are stupid. This had nothing to do with 419 but with arresting people without papers, arresting Africans, in particular Nigerians. They wanted to arrest as much as possible. Kill to birds with one stone,  let me tell you people something they have been monitoring Grand Cafe for a long time if not almost two years . This is the only place in Amsterdam where many West- Africans, South Americans come together and party,  A place they play makossa, Nigerian and Ghananian music besides the mainstream sounds.  A place that makes a lot of money in the weekends. Yeah, some of our people that go to Grand Cafe come to boast, show off and spend lots of money on the girls. They talk loud how they made this kind of money and dupe this kind of person in a public place not knowing that a lot of undercovers and snitches are there monitoring, checking, controlling and reporting. However that is not why the Dutch police should arrest 111 people. Just because they have a suspicion of one or two people. By the way , who says that people with papers or Dutch nationalities are not into 419? They use 419 to cover up search of illegals (I hate that word) because for the last few months this has been on the media constantly and the police think they can justify their acts by pushing it on 419.

We know better,  I hope we do! The police commissionar has to justify this week the raid of last week to the Dutch parties.  I hope something good comes out of the meeting such as releasing the 111 detainees. Otherwise I think that we Africans, (blacks) people living in the Netherlands should protest heavily about this inhuman and racial act. It is a pity that we don't have such organizations here ,  that will stand up for the Nigerians and Africans in this part of the world. Officially, Grand Cafe is over and if I was one of the organizers or managers I would bring the police to court. It is a big disgrace and offence that the so called abiding law officers implemented on that day.

Today at 14.30, a group of people mostly Nigerians are going to demonstrate against the Police raid of last week.

I am going to join the protest

Updates on how it went will be provided between the end and next week.

the Ibo's are destroying the nigeria image.

Nigeria: Robbers Lay Siege On Imo Communities


Vanguard (Lagos)

20 June 2007
Posted to the web 20 June 2007

Chidi Nkwopara
Owerri

INDIGENES of Mgbidi, Otulu, Amiri and some other communities in Oru East and West local government areas of Imo State are now living in fear as armed robbers have overrun their communities, intimidating, harassing, stealing and raping women at will.

At the last count, several private homes, business outfits and even hospitals fell to the brute force of the rampaging armed robbers, who were said to be wielding varying types of sophisticated guns. A woman, who spoke to Vanguard on strict grounds of anonymity, lamented that women and their daughters were subjected to the ordeal of being attacked while their husbands and children were forced to watch as the robbers took their turns in the sexual orgy.


The woman recounted how a young man who returned from the United States of America decided to come out of hiding instead of loosing his 96 year-old father (names withheld). "They similarly did the same thing to Dr. Theodore Okechukwu, who also came back from the United States of America, as well as Chief Stephen Onyemaobi, whose son equally returned from overseas", the woman said.

According to her, Chief Ignatius Awobue was roundly dispossessed of his personal effects and his brother, Nnamdi Christopher Awobue, was seriously beaten. Feelers from the town is that these people have since gone back to their bases overseas and sworn never to come back or encourage anybody to come back or invest in the state. While Chief Joshua Okereke had reportedly been robbed more than two times, the robbers however visited Chief Anaekwe more than four times. Similarly, all the companies located in the two local council areas of the state have started making frantic efforts to close shop and relocate to safer grounds, if nothing was done immediately to guard lives and property.

This is sad. What are the Bakassi boys doing about this?.

There was a gathering , although I was late for the meeting they had with the representative of that part of the town.
She condemned the raid and called it a razzia and want to know why this thing happened in this part of Amsterdam.
It was exclusive on the news her statements about what our people and the representative had to say about this:

http://web.at5.nl/wp-content/plugins/embedthevideo/popup.php?url=mms://media.at5.nl/items/070622_demo_internet.wmv&height=288&width=360

Only the first part is in English the rest in Dutch, sorry peeps but what she is saying is that she condemns the police raid. Enough is enough, we are going to demonstate again and say that we have human rights whether we have papers or not! As long as we did not commit any crime and abide by the rules of the law you cant arrest me because of my skin colour or background. We went round with a petition against the raid, many people signed.  Meetings and plans are in the making, ( international) black human right organizations are involved now. This a serious matter and should not be taken lightly by our people if we love ourselves. To be continued,

@Mohadana

This has nothing to do with Igbos, many people were arrested just because they were black and did not have their documents. Not only Africans but also South- Americans, people were humilated and disgraced. Predominantly women were arrested. I don't know why you are making it a tribe thing. I am getting tired of peeps like you. The only thing you do is to point fingers which does not solve the issue. The police did not look at who is Igbo or not they wanted to kill two birds with one stone. Arrest Africans, in particular Nigerians with no paper and connect most with the 419 scams. Of the 111 people they arrested , only two persons had something to do with 419. Please, do not be ignorant to post this article and say it is a Igbo thing. Nigeria has a big problem and you can't make the Igbos the scapegoats, I can bet you that there are many articles of different states where bad, nasty and inhuman things are happening.  That is not the point, the issue here is the Dutch police raid in Amsterdam.

chichimma:

This was a very inhuman and racial act of the Dutch police. It has also been condemned by Dutch parlement parties as Groenlinks and D66. In a so called civilized country one can't go to a social event and arrest people just on suspicision or assumptions. Just because they know that half of the vistors do not have papers it does not automatically means that they are into 419. They even arrested 'Osuofia' and later let him go. Those of us here are quite aware that police are controlling people with no papers often in areas but for them to come and do it at social events is extreme and contraversial.

It baffles me how these people think that we are stupid. This had nothing to do with 419 but with arresting people without papers, arresting Africans, in particular Nigerians. They wanted to arrest as much as possible. Kill to birds with one stone, let me tell you people something they have been monitoring Grand Cafe for a long time if not almost two years . This is the only place in Amsterdam where many West- Africans, South Americans come together and party, A place they play makossa, Nigerian and Ghananian music besides the mainstream sounds. A place that makes a lot of money in the weekends. Yeah, some of our people that go to Grand Cafe come to boast, show off and spend lots of money on the girls. They talk loud how they made this kind of money and dupe this kind of person in a public place not knowing that a lot of undercovers and snitches are there monitoring, checking, controlling and reporting. However that is not why the Dutch police should arrest 111 people. Just because they have a suspicion of one or two people. By the way , who says that people with papers or Dutch nationalities are not into 419? They use 419 to cover up search of illegals (I hate that word) because for the last few months this has been on the media constantly and the police think they can justify their acts by pushing it on 419.

We know better, I hope we do! The police commissionar has to justify this week the raid of last week to the Dutch parties. I hope something good comes out of the meeting such as releasing the 111 detainees. Otherwise I think that we Africans, (blacks) people living in the Netherlands should protest heavily about this inhuman and racial act. It is a pity that we don't have such organizations here , that will stand up for the Nigerians and Africans in this part of the world. Officially, Grand Cafe is over and if I was one of the organizers or managers I would bring the police to court. It is a big disgrace and offence that the so called abiding law officers implemented on that day.

I can't really see why you are complaining.

If the majority of these people arrested are truly
illegal immigrants and in Holland without
papers then they are breaking the law and the
police and immigration officials are doing the job they are paid to do.

As for the arrests taking place at a social event, so what. I am quite
sure the police would not have just raided the place on a whim. It would have
been based on prior intelligence. You even suggested as much. (see the bold portion above)

@VOR

My lamentations on this issue are mainly because:

1) There is a law in the Netherlands that the hunt on people without paper is not allowed talkless about in a social environment
2) If they were looking for 419 scammers why arrest 111 people just because they have no paper. Who says that people with papers are not involved in the scams.
3) Intelligence my foot only two people they link with 419 out of 111 people. The investigation is poor they just want to use 419 as a cover up to arrest people without papers.


Yeah, most of our people like to show off and shout aloud where they get there money from to me it is not smart . However, it would be wise of the undercovers and police force to target those people directly. Most of the people that visited the venue on that day are not even regulars, they came particularly for the Osuafia show.

roll eyes,who gave Nkem Owoh the bush man visa.

chichi81:

roll eyes,who gave Nkem Owoh the bush man visa.

i am still imagining the same about you

@Romeo
when I saw that response I felt the same way.
However I felt it was/is not worth my precious time to reply such a comment!
I guess some people just come on a forum and talk about something other then the main topic.

419 kwenu.

Mohadana, whats your point. I dont get it or are yoyu trying to add a tribalistic tone to the discussion?

the volume of hate in mohadana might make him run mad

i just wish seun could suspend him for a while

@ kaecy and sweetchick

I do not have much time for people like mohadana they are too ignorant to understand simple issues. I replied him once to let him see the real issue on what is going on and his reply is nothing more than '419 kwenu'. People like that cannot read between the lines but are coming from a very stereotyped upbringing. They always look for a scapegoat to uplift themselves to feel a little bit better. It is a loss case such a person cannot change and think outside of the box. It is a pity for such people but then again I cannot focus on such people because like I mentioned they are too ignorant.

It is better to deal with an illitrate than with an ignorant person because the illitrate is always willing to learn but an ignorant person because they do not want to know!

This racial occurrence is not new to African or blacks living abroad and If anyone want a real immigration horror story Try talk to those that end in a more racist and hostile countries like russia, turkey, greece, e.t.c
and i could only wonder why and how our people end up there and as for the recent raid in Amsterdam i believe the best we can do is continuing exposure by letting the whole world knows what is going on with Africans living abroad and to educate our people back home and not just in Holland and as a matter of fact if i were to be the Nigerian immigration minister seeing this grave injustice carried out against my citizens abroad' I will certainly respond be repatraiting all these so called illegals back to Schipol Airport soon as their chartered flight land in Lagos and fill international human right complaint against the dutch police.
I wonder what the lame Nigeria embassy there or anywhere accross euro will say about this or has anyone heard from them yet?javascript:void(0);
Huh

this what you peopel will contineu to get from the oyinbo if you do'nt protect yourself

Hear yourself, Chichimma
  You said "they even arrested Osuofia". Are you trying to say that the involvement of Osuofia in the raid means that these people are innocent of the suspicion?
  you also admitted that 2 people were indeed involved in scam activities, if so, then the dutch police did very well because, 2 scammers are enough to cause great harm that would make dutch citizens commit suicide if they fall victims: mind you, there are many others who are involved in scam or other criminal activites in one way or the other: I don't accept that of the one hundred and eleven people (Nigerians) that were arrested, only two were actually fraudulent. These are the 2 confirmed.
You live in the west, you should know that Europeans don't tolerate the slightest risk that pose threat to security.
  As for me, i believe that the presence of Osuofia means that the guys might be involved in 419 activities; Is Osuofia not the artist of the scam music/video "I go chop your dollar"?
  @Poster:
Do you refere to Germany as "Dutch"?
Dutch is, (of) or relating to the Netherlands or its people or culture.
I suppose you mean Deutsch, which is of Germany (Deutschland)

chikena! i heard a proper igbo man in that video, this people go disgrace person ire sha

chikena! i heard a proper igbo man in that video, this people go disgrace person tire sha

@ Vicjustice

Arresting Osuofia does not mean that the audience is innocent but that the Dutch police came for purposes to humiliate and disgrace the West African people and ofcourse put an end to the entertainment. The charter to fly people back home was ready to move on that day.

Two people out of the hundred and something were actually fraudsters and the others were wrongly prosecuted, humiliated and even send home just because they did not have papers. Just because they wanted to have some fun and went to a show. A hundred and something people against two is not worth it . The major of Amsterdam could not even say if they were hard criminals (the brain behind the 419 scams or just petty ones). I guess that the 419rs are laughing their teeth out.

Like I mentioned before my aunt went to the show, she has nothing to do with 419 and so were many other people. Just because Osoufia chants and makes noise about 419 it does not mean that he is one. How many actors/ comedians make jokes or films about certain sensitive or illegal things. The Dutch police went out of line and use the criminal law to get as much Africans without papers. Thank God it is not only me that is/was upset with this entire thing but other political parties as well.

I think the Dutch police will be happy with people like you ( Vicjustice) on their side however when they start going after churches to arrest scammers and you or a friend/relative of yours are there and have nothing to do with 419 will not be left out. Especially if you do not have papers do not be angry if they arrest you and them and fly off with the victory of catching one or two petty scammers.

chichimma:

@ Vicjustice

Arresting Osuofia does not mean that the audience is innocent but that the Dutch police came for purposes to humiliate and disgrace the West African people and ofcourse put an end to the entertainment. The charter to fly people back home was ready to move on that day.

Two people out of the hundred and something were actually fraudsters and the others were wrongly prosecuted, humiliated and even send home just because they did not have papers. Just because they wanted to have some fun and went to a show. A hundred and something people against two is not worth it . The major of Amsterdam could not even say if they were hard criminals (the brain behind the 419 scams or just petty ones). I guess that the 419rs are laughing their teeth out.

Like I mentioned before my aunt went to the show, she has nothing to do with 419 and so were many other people. Just because Osoufia chants and makes noise about 419 it does not mean that he is one. How many actors/ comedians make jokes or films about certain sensitive or illegal things. The Dutch police went out of line and use the criminal law to get as much Africans without papers. Thank God it is not only me that is/was upset with this entire thing but other political parties as well.

Well, i understand you, but still, i think the Dutch police are trying to protect their citizens, many of whom have fallen victims of 419 scams. We (Nigerians) are to blame.

chichimma:

I think the Dutch police will be happy with people like you ( Vicjustice) on their side however when they start going after churches to arrest scammers and you or a friend/relative of yours are there and have nothing to do with 419 will not be left out. Especially if you do not have papers do not be angry if they arrest you and them and fly off with the victory of catching one or two petty scammers.

Them never born that police wey go send me back to Naija. Thank God for that.

chichimma:


Two people out of the hundred and something were actually fraudsters and the others were wrongly prosecuted, humiliated and even send home just because they did not have papers. Just because they wanted to have some fun and went to a show. A hundred and something people against two is not worth it . The major of Amsterdam could not even say if they were hard criminals (the brain behind the 419 scams or just petty ones). I guess that the 419rs are laughing their teeth out.

Really cannot see the point you are making here. If they didn't have papers then they are in the country illegally
and that is breaking the law, so they deserve to be sent home.

@VOR

My point here is that in the Netherlands, the law does not allow police or authorities to go to social gatherings to control people for papers. They can control on the streets, houses but not social gatherings. This raid to me is similar to a razzia (during the 2nd world war with Jews). The Dutch of all people should know that is inhuman these kind of activities to go to social events to pick out those that do not have papers. If they commited a crime fair enough , go ahead but they just did not have papers. They did not even have any suspects they just went on it randomly and arrested those without papers, they now became the suspects.

Remember initially they came there to catch the 419ers, so why go after people that are just coming to watch/enjoy a show. Who told you that people with papers are not doing any 419 but all of them could just pass after showing their IDs. The police was wrong even if the people do not have papers they are still human beings and have rights. Before you know it they will continue with churches, say dey look for 419 scammers, nonsense!!!!!!

Chichi

I am afraid I don't agree with you.

What is so sacred about social gatherings that the police
cannot raid? If it was a church or other religious institute
they raided then I might agree with you that it is immoral,
especially if there was a service going on at the time.
Where in Dutch law does it say the police can't police
social gatherings, please direct me to the provision.

In any country being there illegally is often a criminal
offence. So as I said previously if dem no get papers
then they are breaking the law and should expect to
get arrested and possibly deported no matter where
they are found.

VOR:

Chichi

I am afraid I don't agree with you.

What is so sacred about social gatherings that the police
cannot raid? If it was a church or other religious institute
they raided then I might agree with you that it is immoral,
especially if there was a service going on at the time.
Where in Dutch law does it say the police can't police
social gatherings, please direct me to the provision.

In any country being there illegally is often a criminal
offence. So as I said previously if them no get papers
then they are breaking the law and should expect to
get arrested and possibly deported no matter where
they are found.

I agree with you, 100%

@mohadana

How dare u blame all ills Nigeria faces on the Ibo man, na we talk say make una people stupidly allows others steal & rape your homeland. For ur Infomation many of your people are more dubious, afterall na una people dey kidnap onyinbo people, rape & kill yourselfs.

Everyday you people heap insults on the Ibo people instead on seeking way to better your lot like they have done.

Wake up!

@ VOR & Vicjustice

You do not have to agree with me! No probs, I do not agree with you either.
Thank God for the Dutch parties that do see it from my perspective.
The Dutch law has concluded long time that there were not going to hunt people with no papers.( I hate that word illegal to me there is no such thing as illegal people). This means that they will not go to social gatherings to ask for identification when they are quite aware that there will be people without papers.

My anger is not of the fact that they were looking for criminals but that they used that as a coverup or better said disguise to hunt Africans without papers. I cannot give you the provision but I suggest you google it and you will definitely find something about this agreement that was made in Amsterdam.

Going by your logic Chichi that nobody is illegal, then everyone and anyone should be permitted
to arrive in Holland and stay there for as long as they like. What then is the point of having
immigration controls?

Yeah, that is my logic nobody is illegal but people can carry out illegal activities!

We live in a white man's world where everything is controlled and everything is labeled.
Do you know what the word does to people without papers? It minimize and limit one's abillities because of that stamp or that word that now takes over their ways of life.  Just a week ago, A Ghanianan jumped from 9th floor and died because police were doing there usual "illegal immigrants hunt" control in flats. May his soul rest in perfect peace! Believe me he is not the first and will certainly not be the last unfortunately!

The Dutch, Americans, British government are all aware of the many thousands of people that live in their country without any papers but you hardly hear that in America or Britain they are doing house search or crashing social gatherings, checking who is "illegal" or not? No they check if someone commited a crime or any illegal activity. Over here they hunt people without papers, in particular Africans it is absurd and getting out of hand in this country, which for me seems to look like something that happened during the time of the Jews in the Netherlands. That time it was justified by the majority of the masses and now they all condemn it. It seems if they crash social gatherings to deport as many "illegal immigrants" not much have been learned of those historical years in the Netherlands.