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As another 228 Libya returnees arrived Benin-City, last
Wednesday, Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba
Ewuare II has thrown his weight behind the fight against
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.
The monarch regretted that it was particularly
frustrating that it took a report by the Cable News
Network (CNN) for government and other stakeholders
to respond to the crisis.
The crisis, he said, could have been better managed if
relevant authorities had lived up to their responsibilities,
saying they allowed it to fester instead.
He commended the governor for his efforts to resettle
the Libya returnees through skills acquisition
programmes.
Obaseki, who also spoke at the occasion, described the
situation in Libya as sad and unacceptable and assured
that his administration would continue to partner the
traditional council in the areas of law, order and
security, stemming the tide of illegal migration,
environmental sanitation, registration of Edo citizens
and the mobilisation of indigenes and residents to
participate in government policies and programmes,
settlement of land disputes, agriculture, amongst others.
Of the 228 latest returnees, 39 were women, six of
whom were pregnant; four were children while others
were men.
Sunday Vanguard spoke with a couple, Mr and Mrs
Kingslay, 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.
Wednesday, Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba
Ewuare II has thrown his weight behind the fight against
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.
The monarch regretted that it was particularly
frustrating that it took a report by the Cable News
Network (CNN) for government and other stakeholders
to respond to the crisis.
The crisis, he said, could have been better managed if
relevant authorities had lived up to their responsibilities,
saying they allowed it to fester instead.
He commended the governor for his efforts to resettle
the Libya returnees through skills acquisition
programmes.
Obaseki, who also spoke at the occasion, described the
situation in Libya as sad and unacceptable and assured
that his administration would continue to partner the
traditional council in the areas of law, order and
security, stemming the tide of illegal migration,
environmental sanitation, registration of Edo citizens
and the mobilisation of indigenes and residents to
participate in government policies and programmes,
settlement of land disputes, agriculture, amongst others.
Of the 228 latest returnees, 39 were women, six of
whom were pregnant; four were children while others
were men.
Sunday Vanguard spoke with a couple, Mr and Mrs
Kingslay, 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.
