A group, the Ohanaeze Youth Council (OYC) has alleged that over 5,000 Nigerian youths are illegally detained in the Republic of Benin and asked the federal government to wade into it.
At a press conference in Abuja, the group urged the federal government to investigate its claims, adding that its members had embarked on a month-long research on the illegal detention of Nigerians in the neighbouring country.
The national president-general of OYC, Comrade Igboayaka O. Igboayaka, who stated this at a press conference in Abuja, also alleged that some of the detainees are being used for organ harvesting and slave trafficking.
Igboayaka decried the alleged extrajudicial killings, harassment, maltreatment and undue detention of innocent Nigerian youths who are merely doing their legitimate business in some states and cities in the Republic of Benin.
He said, “It is shocking that an estimated over Five thousand (5000) Nigerians in which over 98% are youth of average age of 25 to 50 years, and 95% are innocent Nigerians languishing in thirteen (13) prisons in Benin Republic”
He listed the prisons as Akpro Misserete Prison, Cotonou Prison, Abomey-Calavi Prison, Ouidah Prison, Adjara Lokossa Porto Novo prison, Parakou prison, Kandi Prison.
Others are Savolou Prison, Agassa Godomey Prison, Ekpe Agblangandan Prison, Akrake Prison, Njeregbe Prison, and Godomey Okotome Prison.
He cited the cases of Okpala Maxwell, Obi Author Uzuchukwu, Okumah Chika Lawrence, Mr Fidelis Chimezie Udensi who were illegally detained.
He listed other victims to include Fadogba James, from Ekiti State; Alassane Soule, from Niger State; Okumah Chika Lawrence, from Anambra State; Bassey Sunday, from Akwa Ibom State; Mouhamadou Mainassara, from Kwara State.
Others are Fwah Enock Jebison, from Adamawa State; Onu Vincent Okechukwu, from Enugu State; Ugochukwu Samuel, from Imo State; Ishaya Wycleff, from Adamawa State; Odi Onyekachi, from Ebonyi State.
“It may interest the general public and federal government of Nigeria to know that in the above estimated 5,000 Nigerians languishing in the aforementioned Prisons in Benin Republic, about 5% are being alleged of frivolous crime by Republic of Benin without any evidence of crime but 95% are totally innocent Nigerians who do legitimate businesses in Benin Republic with legitimate and verifiable sources of income. Some of them were those who traveled from other countries for a business trip to Benin Republic.
“We therefore call on the federal Government of Nigeria, led by President Ahmed Bola Tinubu, the Inspection General of Police, Olukayode Egbetokun, Minister of Foreign Affairs Adamu Ibrahim Lamuwa, Chairman/CEO Nigeria In Diaspora Commission Hon Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman Senate Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organizations, Distinguish senator Victor Umeh, the Nigeria Director of Interpol Bankole Sikiru, Chairman House of Representatives Committee Hon. Tolulope Akande Sadipe and State Director of DSS Mr Yusuf Magaji Bichi to thoroughly investigate the plights of Nigerian Youths in the Republic of Benin.
“We are very sure that at the cause of your investigation you will be very shocked with the details of your findings over what Nigerian youths are silently passing through in Benin Republic.
“Therefore, we appeal that proper investigation is conducted through your various offices with local and international standards of truth findings, you will realise the actual truth that Benin republic President Patrice Guillaume Athanase Talon is practicing modern day slavery against other citizens from many African countries, and most of the victims are Nigerian youths,” the group said.
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