Nigerian Newspapers
Kenyan deportee: How Kenyans deported me in chattered aircraft
By CHUKS EZE ([email protected])
Nigerian Kenyan-based businessman, Anthony Chinedu Ifedigbo was recently deported to Nigeria via a chattered aircraft under controversial circumstances. He had lived in Kenya for about 18 years with a flouring business, including a four-star hotel with 40 suites, as well as five lovely children.
In this interview, the Anambra State indigene claims the aircraft used to deport him and other two Nigerians had been grounded at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, and calls on the Nigerian authorities to intervene as many Nigerians are still being unjustly detained in that country. He also alleges that the issue of his deportation was orchestrated by his estranged Kenyan wife, Joyce, in connivance with a popular Kenyan politician, Rapheal Wanjala, with the sole aim of grabbing his property worth millions of dollars. Excerpts…
Why were you deported from Kenya?
The issue about my wrongful deportation started some years ago when I had a misunderstanding with my ex-wife and later separated. It was over infidelity on the part of my wife. She was having extra-marital affair with a popular Kenyan politician at my back. And when I found out, I divorced her, after which she connived with the man and started fighting over my property that is worth over $ 5 million. So, in 2008, they wanted to deport me through illegal means, but the Nigerian Ambassador to Kenya at that time, Ambassador Nwigwe, intervened and stopped them. He countered whatever gimmick they introduced to deport me. Since then, they have been putting me and many other Nigerians through series of traumatic experiences. It has really been hellish for Nigerians in that country since the current Kenyan President came to power. They even accused us of supporting ODM Lila Odinga. But that is very untrue, because we never participated in Kenyan politics directly or indirectly. We did not sponsor any candidate. We only engaged in genuine business, investing in their economy and even providing jobs for their citizens.
How did they carry out the operation?
They burst into my house, armed to the teeth and said they were policemen. They numbered about 25 fierce-looking men. That is how they usually harass Nigerians. They would ransack your house without your supervision and by the time they leave your house every valuable is gone. They picked me up early morning on Sunday, May 26, 2013, as I set out for the gym, and that was the last time I saw my family. They detained me till Monday when they finally deported me via a chattered flight. They seized my three iphones, those of my wife and my friends that were in my house. They then took us to an isolated place and kept me incommunicado without food, bathing water and ventilation. I saw hell, my brother. In fact, they treated me like an animal, just as they also did to other Nigerians, and made it difficult for the Nigerian Embassy officials to know where we were. They would not contact the Nigerian Embassy before bundling her citizens into the plane back to Nigeria. I think it is disappointing the way these African countries insult our great country. But I commend the decision of the Nigerian authority to ground that controversial chattered aircraft. That plane would be enough to pay for my property. I can even forget about pressing for other damages because I don’t even want to go back to that country. A sensible people should be wooing honest and successful legitimate investors into their country, but the Kenyans are chasing away those helping in developing their country. All I want is my money. And like I said, the grounded plane can pay my money. I therefore, use this medium to ask the Nigerian government to investigate and confirm that I have been doing legitimate business in Kenya over the years and that I am worth the property I am claiming. I need our government’s assistance just as all Nigerians resident in Kenya at this moment. The Nigerian High Commission in that country does not know the details of what is happening because of the way they carry out the operation.
How did your deportation relate to the misunderstanding between your wife and you?
Like I said earlier, she was involved in a secret relationship with that politician, who was using government machineries to intimidate, deport me and take over my property and other investments. That was why they chattered a flight of not less than N15 million to deport an individual.
How many other Nigerians have been deported apart from you?
Over 20 Nigerians have been deported, and as I am talking to you, more are still awaiting deportation in their detention camps. These are people that own huge properties and strong asset base running into millions of dollars in that country. And the plan of the Kenyan elite is to take over everything. You can verify all I am telling you. One Peter Atuenyi, who was deported alongside five others yesterday (June 6), is worth millions of dollars in Kenya. These are people that started from the scratch and God blessed our efforts. Peter is well-known both in Nigeria and Kenya yet, like me, they bundled him out of that country like a terrorist.
What charge were pressed against you people?
Usually, they would brand you a drug trafficker. That is their major weapon because, once an individual is branded a drug peddler, some people would easily write the person off without even giving him a chance to explain or defend himself. But drug dealers are not even deported; they are tried in that country and jailed. And I have it on good authority that unless you can prove that somebody is a security threat to your country, you don’t deport people carelessly like that.
Is it true that Kenyan women married to Nigerians in that country usually hatch such deportation plots in order to corner their husband’s property?
That their women find your property attractive should not warrant them to brand you a drug dealer. No. It is an insult for a country like Kenya to start attacking citizens of a big brother country like Nigeria in that manner. Both the Nigerian government and people must rise to defend our citizens.
You said you witnessed those deported on Thursday?
I was there at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, yesterday to receive another batch of 10 Nigerians who did not commit any crime in that country. And the impounded jet, which they chattered to deport me, was still there. I didn’t need anybody to bring me home with a private jet because my property there can chatter over 20 private jets to convey our people with their families home. I have five kids there who are all Kenyan citizens. And apart from that, by virtue of my living in that country legitimately for almost 20 years and contributing immensely to her economy, I am qualified to be treated as a bona fide Kenyan citizen.
Are you saying that your case is traceable to your estranged wife’s connivance with the Kenyan ex-politician?
Yes. Her name is Joyce Akini-Ochen. We got married in 1999, but it was in 2007 that I found out she had been having affair with the ex-politician for long, with the sole purpose of moving me out of Kenya and taking over my property. She was actually banking on the politician’s political influence to achieve her aim. She already had two children for me before I found out and divorced her. She has been living with the politician since we separated and already has a kid for him, yet she wouldn’t let me be because of what she is targeting.
Is it true that your case is still in court before you were deported?
That is true because, when I realized their target was to take over my property and force me back to Nigeria by any means, I went to court to obtain an injunction to stop them. So, when they saw that it would be difficult for them to sell any of my property there, they now came up with the idea of bundling me back home so that my case could be thrown out. That is why I still maintain that the issue of my deportation is about my property and nothing more. As we speak, the Attorney-General of Kenya has declared my deportation illegal, the country’s foreign affairs minister has also disowned the inhuman operation and washed her hands off the entire issue. Also, one of the biggest lawyer and a former Prosecutor-General in Kenya has declared my deportation illegal and unconstitutional, just as the Law Society of Kenya has condemned my deportation. I am well-known in Kenya as somebody doing legitimate business. He advised that even if there was need for my deportation, it should be after my all pending civil cases I had filed were properly dispensed with. So, what it means is that man and my ex-wife connived with Kenyan security men to deport me. If they could fund a chattered flight, with eight security details to bring me back to Nigeria, you can imagine what they are targeting to gain from my deportation. Half of my property in Kenya can chatter over 20 aircraft to bring all Nigerians back home from that country.
Assuming the Nigerian government intervenes and everything is settled, would you want to continue living in that country to do your business?
No, I’m no longer interested. Once I get back my property, I would invest my resources in Nigeria. Nigeria is a lovely country. We only travel out in search of business. Do you know that a car of two million Shillings there, which is about N4 million in Nigeria, is not worth up to N2 million if purchased here? Life is difficult there, yet they do not appreciate our investments and contributions to their economy. We are doing them a lot of favour because many Nigerians are marrying their women, while I have never seen any Nigerian woman married to a Kenyan. Without Nigeria’s patronage, Kenyan Airways would fold up. I am supposed to have automatically become a Kenyan citizen by the number of years I have lived there, by age, marriage, children, business, etc. But they hate Nigerians so much. I also have a strategically located 40 suites four-star hotel there. Do you know how many Kenyans who depend on that hotel for daily living?
Is it true they found drugs in your house?
Oh, you heard about it? The drug was part of their grand plan to nail me. The drug was planted by the Kenyan security men in connivance with the politician. That was about a month ago when they started the plot to deport me. But unfortunately for them, I saw them dropping it and I raised the alarm. I insisted that my fingerprints and those of all present be taken for forensic analysis to determine who dropped the drug among all of us. They later removed it and never charged me to court over the drug. Even in the present case, there is nothing about drug mentioned.
Apart from your hotel, what other business are you into in Kenya?
I am into real estate in Kenya. That is what gave me money. Everybody knows that I started from the scratch. I would buy a land, spread it and take my 20 per cent or 30 per cent, as the case may be. From there I would source money and develop the facility and sell to people. I made my money through real estate business, not drug. I never had anything to do with drug peddling in my life. All I have there I got through hard work. That is why I am begging the Nigerian government to help, because if the government releases that impounded aircraft and the Kenyan’s grab my property, I would be doomed and become a street boy after many years of hard work and suffering.
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•Deploy more personnel as army chief vows to wipe out terror group
•Security beefed up at N’Assembly
Deji Elumoye and Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja
Abuja, Nigeria’s seat of power, is under a massive security cordon following threats of attacks by insurgents and the increasing wave of banditry in the contiguous states of Kaduna, Kogi, Nasarawa and Niger States, THISDAY’s investigation has revealed.
There has been a wave of kidnappings in the outskirts of the federal capital, notably Pegi, Tuganmaje and Kuje among others, which the police have battled in recent times.
The security situation in and around the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) was heightened by the pronouncement of the Niger State Governor, Mr. Sani Bello, that Boko Haram fighters who he said sacked 50 villages in the state and hoisted the terror group’s flag, were about two hours drive away from the FCT.
Security has also been beefed up at the National Assembly as operatives, yesterday, thoroughly screened every vehicle approaching the National Assembly complex in Abuja.
The deteriorating security situation nationwide prompted the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, to warn that the 2023 general election may not hold, demanding the declaration of a state of emergency as well as the convocation of a national conference.
However, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, yesterday restated the Nigerian Army’s determination to annihilate Boko Haram.
But the Governor of Katsina State, Hon. Bello Masari, cautioned against declaring a state of emergency, saying doing so isn’t the solution to combat the security challenges facing the country.
The security of the nation’s airports was also in focus yesterday as the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) said there was no threat to them.
THISDAY’s investigations showed increased presence of troops, police, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) personnel and intelligence operatives at the three strategic entrances to the city notably, Keffi, Zuba and Gwagwalada.
More checkpoints were also mounted around Gwagwalada and Keffi.
THISDAY also observed increased intelligence deployment at the entrance and the borders of FCT with contiguous states.
Beyond the borders, there were more deployments and police patrols inside the city and increased intelligence deployments as well.
Security sources told THISDAY: “There are deployments here and there but they are routine. Alertness is key to a secure environment.”
It was also learnt that security agencies were involved in frenzied meetings throughout yesterday.
The meetings, coordinated by the office of the Chief of Defence Staff under the new joint operational strategy of the armed forces, were aimed at coordinating a joint response to possible threats of attack to the FCT.
“I understand the security teams have been meeting for some days now and if you look around you, you will notice that there are increasing patrols and numbers of security personnel. The threats are not been taken lightly,” a source said.
National Assembly workers, lawmakers and visitors also had a harrowing experience accessing the legislative complex due to heightened security in the area.
Security operatives thoroughly screened every vehicle approaching the National Assembly complex in Abuja, impeding both human and vehicular traffic.
The Sergeant-at-arm of the National Assembly and other security agencies supervised the operations, leading to huge traffic build-up inside the complex.
Legislative staff, visitors and lawmakers were seen patiently waiting for their cars to be searched so that they could go ahead with the business of the day.
Some staff and visitors at some point got tired of waiting and were seen alighting from their cars to trek from the gate to the complex.
Meanwhile, the ONSA has said there is no threat to the nation’s airports.
A statement by the Head of Strategic Communication, Mr. Zachari Usman, said the reports of threats to the airports were an internal correspondence of security threat assessment misconstrued as security threat to the airports.
PDP Demands State of Emergency
In a related development, the PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, yesterday demanded the declaration of a state of emergency, warning that the 2023 general election might not hold if the federal government failed to tackle insecurity.
He called on the federal government to summon a national conference to address the spike in insecurity.
Secondus added that the national caucus of the party will meet today to discuss the state of the nation.
Addressing members of the National Executive Committee (NEC) in Abuja, Secondus said: “We are worried Abuja is not even safe. It is no longer politics. We got alert of plots to bomb and burn down our airports.
“We urge the federal government to declare a national state of emergency in security. There is the need to call a national conference to discuss the insecurity in the country.
“There may not be any election in 2023 in Nigeria due to insecurity. This government must listen to the people. The Buhari government should call a national confab to discuss security and state of the nation. It is no longer politics. This time we are not playing politics. Let’s keep politics aside and move the nation forward.”
He said the country had been grounded, regretting that there had been no matching response from the federal government.
Secondus said in the past, terrorism in the North was confined to the North-east, but with the report of Boko Haram occupying villages in Niger State, terrorism had spread to the North-central
“Herdsmen are also menacing in the West; gunmen causing havoc in the East; and the militants in the South; all killing, looting, raping, maiming and burning down homes. The situation is bad; Nigerians all over are living in fear,” he said.
The Senate Minority Leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, said the problem of Nigeria was outside of the PDP headquarters, while pledging the support of the Senate to the declaration of state of emergency in security.
Abaribe said he deliberately decided not to speak on the floor of the Senate but to allow the APC senators to speak so as to avoid being accused of giving a partisan colouration to the issue of insecurity.
He stated that only electoral reforms would give victory to the opposition party in the 2023 general election and ensure a democratic defeat of the APC-led federal government.
Also, the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, commended the NEC and the PDP leadership for their collective efforts at resolving the House leadership crisis.
The NEC meeting adopted the position of Secondus, calling on the federal government to convoke a national conference to discuss the state of insecurity in the country, according to a communiqué read by the National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan.
Army Chief Vows to Wipe Out Boko Haram
The army yesterday reiterated its commitment to wipe out Boko Haram.
Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, told reporters in Maiduguri, Borno State that Boko Haram had been defeated in many encounters and would continue to be defeated until it’s annihilated from Nigeria.
“We will take on Boko Haram decisively, and we are committed to the focus of the operations, which is the total annihilation of Boko Haram from Nigeria,” he said.
The COAS, who was visiting the headquarters of Operation Lafiya Dole in Maiduguri for the fifth time since his appointment four months ago, said the visit was to boost the morale of the troops, reassure them and listen to any issues affecting them.
Earlier, the Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, Maj. Gen. Farouq Yahaya, lauded the visit, which he said had continued to boost the morale of the troops.
“We are honoured, we are grateful, we are encouraged by those visits. You provided us guidance, logistics and other things we required. We are most grateful for those visits,” Yahaya said.
State of Emergency Won’t Solve Security Challenges, Says Masari
Katsina State Governor, Hon. Aminu Masari, has, however, said declaration of a state of emergency won’t solve the security challenges facing the nation.
Masari, who spoke yesterday with journalists after meeting with the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari at the State House, Abuja stated that he was against the recent call by the House of Representatives for the declaration of a state of emergency in the security sector as it would not solve the problem.
According to him, declaring a state of emergency will not achieve the desired effect as the security structure and personnel to be used to execute the emergency are already overstretched in a bid to safeguard lives and property.
Sourced From: THISDAYLIVE
Tribune Online
Nigeria records 55 new COVID-19 infections, total now 165,110
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has recorded 62 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 165,110. The NCDC disclosed this on its official Twitter handle on Friday. “55 new cases of #COVID19Nigeria; Lagos-21, Yobe-19, Ogun-6, Akwa Ibom-3, Kaduna-2, Plateau-2, FCT-1, Rivers-1.” YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE COVID-19: Nigeria Recorded […]
Nigeria records 55 new COVID-19 infections, total now 165,110
Tribune Online
Sourced From: Tribune Online
By Olasunkanmi Akoni
The people of the South East region have been urged to explore the power of negotiation and mutual settlement in the face of ongoing killings and security challenges in the zone because the east can not afford another war at present.
Stakeholders from the South-East geo-political zone made the remark on Thursday, at the unveiling of the book, “Igbo, 50 years after Biafra,” written by Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Drainage Services, Joe Igbokwe, held at Ikeja G.R.A.
Speaking at the unveiling of the book, the chairman of the occasion, Mr. Cutis Adigba,
urged the people of the South-East to learn to build bridges across the country, so that they can realise their ambition of producing the next president of Nigeria.
Adigba urged leaders from the zone to discourage the move and agitation by some youths in the South East to go to war and secede out of Nigeria.
Also read: Banditry: Disregard viral video, Niger State gov’t urges residents
He said that Igbo have always found it difficult to rule Nigeria because they refused to build bridges across the six geo-political zones that made up Nigeria.
While describing the agitation as uncalled for, Adigba noted that after two decades that Nigeria returned to civil rule, the Igbo has predominantly identified with only one political party.
He maintained that remaining in one party can not advance the cause of the people of South East and cannot make them realise their objective of producing an Igbo man as president.
He maintained that the publisher of the book, Igbokwe played politics outside his state, so that the Igbo race can be integrated with one another race.
Adigba said the failure of the Igbo to reintegrate with other ethnic nationalities politically was responsible for the retrogression of the race in Nigerian politics.
Igbokwe, also addressing guests on the occasion, maintained that the Igbo are not advancing politically because they refused to be integrated into National politics, lamenting that, despite their success in business, they are not successful in playing politics at the national level.
Corroborating Dimgba, Igbokwe noted that there was the need for the Igbo people to stand up and build bridges so that their objective of producing the next president of Nigeria could be realised.
According to him: “I have decided to raise my voice, I hope my people will hear me while trying to quell the effect of the war, our people are spoiling for another war, mayhem is being unleashed in Igbo land, and there is palpable fear.
“Those who could speak have lost their voice, mindful of the consequences of their actions, I am calling on all Igbo leaders to speak up because all actions carry consequences, consequences of the silence will be too dastardly to sustain.
“Those silently supporting the wild wind should be careful or else they hand over to their children,” he said.
Igbokwe urged those spoiling for war to jettison their plan and embrace dialogue, urging them to learn from the South West region that despite the challenges faced after the annulment of the June 12, 1993, election, they did not go to war, and the region had the opportunity of producing two of her sons for presidential position in 1999.
“You have to build bridges to become president of Nigeria, but it is unfortunate the Igbo are burning bridges.”
Speaking at the event, Chief Uche Dimgba who is the coordinator of Igbo in All Progressives Congress, APC in Lagos, described Igbokwe as “a Frank, fearless and reliable leader, who based his views on issues and stand by his opinions, and we the Igbo have confidence in him and believe he can lead us aright.”
“He is a leader we Igbo believe in and we will follow him. If he can serve all the governors produced in Lagos State since 1999, he is a better man to follow because he possesses all the experience that can be of benefit to Igbo both at home and in the diaspora.”
The post Attacks on S’East: We must explore all options of negotiation — Stakeholders urge Igbo appeared first on Vanguard News.
Sourced From: Vanguard News
The government said that no worker should stay back beyond 6:00 p.m. within premises of buildings undergoing construction.
The post Insecurity: Lagos bans occupation of abandoned buildings appeared first on Premium Times Nigeria.
Sourced From: Premium Times Nigeria
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Nigeria records 55 new COVID-19 infections, total now 165,110
Military, Police Ring Abuja to Forestall Boko Haram Attack
UFC: Usman gets N584m after beating Masvidal
Insecurity: Lagos bans occupation of abandoned buildings
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