On October 14th and 15th, there were two FRONTEX deportations to Nigeria: one flight from Amsterdam, coordinated by the Netherlands, with 28 deported from different countries, with one stopover in Madrid, the second from Rome, coordinated by Italy, with 48 deported. Table ici http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-15-5958_en.htm
Five Nigerians retained in Belgium were programmed for this flight. It was not easy to understand the flight itinerary of our two witnesses. One was blindfolded and handcuffed during the various transfers, the other totally ignored where the van with tinted windows was driving him. The secret was extremely well kept and fake information were communicated to us! There was also some confusion because we were thinking of only obne flight and we had warned our friends in Rome. In the end, there were two collective deportations! http://www.gettingthevoiceout.org/%EF%BB%BFalerte-vol-special-frontex-vers-le-nigeria-ce-14102015/
Testimony by a man who was deported on a Frontex flight from Belgium to Nigeria.
“On Monday at about 3:30pm the social assistance from closed centre came , he called me to carry my belongings to another centre in Merksplas, he told me probably my flight may be tomorrow night which was 13th of October, 2015. When they brought me to Merksplas Centrum on the 13th
(thuesday). They asked me to pull all my dress, they naked me completely, I asked then a question why are they doing this tome? But they could not be able to answer me, later the security man said to me they do it to all immigrants who don’t have papers, later they gave me a small white short to wear.Before They lock me up, and I ask for shower, they told me is not allow to shower here. And nobody could visit me anymore, the two friends from my church that came to me they did not allow them to see me. It was horrible. What they did to me is against human right and against God and against humanity.
“The two night before they brought me to Nigeria I did not shower. And they told me is only allow to make a telephone call twice in a day. They take every thing from me including my cell phone, I was disorganized and completely tired. No body could visit me anymore.
Is only one security man who was a Christian came to me and pray for me and encourage me to keep my faith no matter what.
Back to on the 13th of October, at about 5:pm the security men and the police came to pick me up without allowed me to say a word, they drag me again from the up stairs to down stairs and lay me on the floor tie my hands around my waist, and slap my head and hit my siderips of which I felt much pain when I came to my country.When it was 5;30pm they brought a bus with dark glasses and nobody could see inside, they drag and push me like their cow inside the bus, they never allowed me to walk myself inside the Bus. From that 5pm my hands were handcuff around my waist why I was still inside the Bus to Rotterdam Airport in Hollands. It was unbelievable and deadly pain I have never witness or experience in my life. And I have never being in prison in my life.
Before the flight came it was 10:30pm while my hands was still handcuff. We check in,, and theFlight departed at about 11: 15pm.There was more than 100 soldiers + Police escourt: Monitoring team leader ,Monitor team, Observator leader, Observatorteam leader, Officer in Command, Backup leader, Backup team leader, Officer in control team leader, Officer in control, Team leader,….. Etc. to mention but a few. The Escourt was more than 50. It was all European leaders who came together for Escourt.
The people in the flight were from Belgium, Nederland’s, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Spain, Finland, Denmark .
That is the only country I can remember because I was asking them questions. Because they arrested other people from all this countries and bring them to Amsterdam including handicap children. and people with families and children, including those who were sick because they were giving them medications while we were flying because their conditions was very bad.
Behold, my hands were still handcuff till we get to Madrid in Spain where we transit. We arrived at about 5 minutes to 1:00 at midnight.
They asked the woman who was the controlleader to lose my hands because each person has two escourt, I was having two escourt man and a woman but the woman said,”not yet”
We were there while some officer get out of the flight and go home. We were there from 1:00 to3:15am,
In 3:30 am the Flight departed. after 20 minutes before they remove handcuffs in my hands, it was a nightmare and horrible night that I will never forget in my life. thanks to God who strengths me and filled me with energy and courage. I could not cry any more and there were no tears in my eyes any more to cry because of pain I was completely dry-up.
I arrived in Nigeria at 8:am something in the morning. the custom and army came to control me they ask me a question “did you thief? did you carry drugs? I said No, and they take my finger prints. they asked me to go since I am not a criminal.”
