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| African Migrants held in detention in Tripoli Libya |
The Oba of Benin Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Ewuare II has openly condemned the way Nigerians are treated in Libya, and called on the Libyan and Nigerian government to do something about the tragedies happening to Nigerians in Libya. The Benin monarch openly condemned human trafficking.
Oba Ewuare II, who spoke during the inauguration of the Edo State Council of Traditional Rulers and Chiefs by Governor Godwin Obaseki, condemned the act and expressed disappointment at the Nigerian Embassy in Libya and the Libyan government for their inability to tackle the crisis.
Sunday Vanguard spoke with a couple, Mr and Mrs Kingsley, who claimed to have watched as 59 Nigerians were shot dead, 19-year-old Precious, who had a baby in Libyan prison, and Blessing who had no training in nursing but providence pushed her to midwife the delivery of five children inside the prison. Their stories:
Mr Kingsley said he decided to embark on the journey to Europe via Libya with his wife. Though they were unable to get to their destination, which is Italy, God gave them a baby girl in Libya
Quote
“I
travelled with my wife through Kano. From Kano we went to Alghadez,
Saba, Tripoli and Sabescerine. When we got to Tripoli, I paid N1million
to somebody for myself and my wife for the Mediterranean Sea crossing to
Italy but we ended staying there for over one year there. And to make
matters worse, there was no money because there was no work. I always
called my brother in Nigeria to help us with some to eat. That country
is a disaster; they enjoy killing blacks, especially Nigerians. About 59
Nigerians were shot dead in my presence. One of my friends was shot on
the leg and the leg was amputated. They pushed me and my wife into the
boat to cross the sea but Libyan militia arrested us and took us to
prison. I called my brother in Nigeria who sent money to us. I gave the
militia the money and we were released from prison. We waited for our
man to come and push us again across the sea but while we were waiting,
the militia boys came again and started shooting. People started running
and I could not escape with my wife carrying our baby, so we
surrendered and they took us to prison. Some people, who tried to run
away, were shot dead. We spent two weeks in the prison and it was there
that we registered and they returned us to Nigeria. And what these Libya
people always did was that whenever the United Nations people came,
they will quickly take out some Nigerians and hide them in another
prison, so that they will not register them and take them home. They do
this because they want to be using those people to collect money from
families in Nigeria. And in that prison they don’t feed you. And they
will beat the hell out of you whenever you fail to bring money from you
relations. That place is hell on earth.
Kingsley’s wife: We saw many dead bodies in the desert
Were you not scared traveling with you husband to Libya?
No I left everything to God. I became pregnant when I got there. We passed through the desert and saw many dead bodies on the ground. When I was pregnant, I never went to see any doctor or nurse because there was nobody to help you. But I thank God that on the day of delivery, it was very successful. One woman who had experience in delivering babies helped me.
I am happy I returned alive because many people died, some came back with ailments or broken hand or leg but I thank God I came back alive with my family.
I am happy to be back home. But I will never advise anybody to go to Libya. It is not a place that anyone should go. They shoot gun every minute and they had no value for life.
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