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I, Mr Uche Promise Iwule, was among the 35 supposedly Nigerians deported on the 26th of July, 2007. We were woken up very early that morning at about 5 a.m. When they came,
they also had stretchers with them, so that people who refused or tried to resist will be forcefully injected or whatever and taken away on the stretcher. They took us to the Rotterdam airport where we were forcefully made to board a plane, that had Arabic inscription on it. Anybody who tried to resist or asked questions, was beaten up. A particular guy who proved difficult and refused to board the plane, was injected and unconsciously taken aboard. Infact we were treated worse than criminals, because beside from been injected, beaten and humiliated, some of us were chained like animals, inside the plane. There were about 2 or 3 girls whose mouth were tied with something like a piece of cloth. Some of us had our hands chained and some were chained around the waist. Each one of us had 4 security operatives attached to us. Most of us were crying because of the humiliation and degradation we suffered at the hands of this unkind and cruel people. The plane took off at about 11 a.m and transited through mallorca, Spain, were they changed crew members. We were not allowed access to the crew members, because we were flanked on both sides by security operatives. We were served just cake and we could not make a choice.to
In the airplane, we were all forced to thumbprint. We never saw the TC that was used in deporting us. I can also not remember signing any such TC or document. There was a gentleman on the flight who we later heard was an immigration officer, because at Murtala Mohammed airport, we saw him with s staple of papers , which we believe could have been the TC`s, and we also saw the security operatives handing him an envelope of money.
On arrival in Nigeria, we discovered that we landed at the cargo section of the airport. We never saw any immigration checks or controls. We just saw an officer who wore customs uniform. Attempt to protest this whole inhuman treatment was met with a stern look from the customs officer who told us to move or get trouble. And looking at our shabby looks, because some of us had bathroom slippers, hair unkept, dirty and smelling clothes, and just the 50euros we received, we then quietly marched away to a dark and unknown future. |
