Equatorial Guinean authorities have deported 23 Nigerians over an alleged involvement in the coup to overthrow President Omar Bongo in February. The 23 Nigerians came aboard an Aero Contractors aircraft and narrated the trauma they underwent while in prison since February 18.
According to them, they were all stripped of their belongings, alleging that they were victims of internal power play between the Equatorial Guinean President and those opposed to his continued hold on power.
They also alleged that they were neglected by the Nigerian Embassy in Equatorial Guinea as well as the Nigerian government. Polycarp Nnani, a sailor and spokesman of the group explained that they engaged in marine transportation and merchandising between Calabar, Cross River State and Malabo, Equatorial Guinea and between Doula, Cameroun and Malabo. He said on February 17, 2009, while some of their boats were anchored on the Malabo port, some off-loading their goods and others already loaded and ready to sail to Nigeria, a combined team of Equatorial Guinean Police, Navy and Army swooped on their members and arrested 98 sailors on the beach and 30 others on the streets of Malabo.
“The police meted out brutality to us; it was traumatising. Till date nobody has told us what happened. They were saying some Nigerians came to take over the government; such allegation needs to be investigated. It is an internal matter that has to do with the government of the country. Even the president of the country said it was an internal matter. Why should we, Nigerians, who have no business in the affairs of the country be arrested? We have all our valid documents, so should not have been so treated,” he said.
According to him, “Three of the people were shot dead, including one Shola Jide. An eye witness account has it that a Nigerian fishing boat on its way to Cameroun, carrying families, but which lost its way and sailed into Equatorial Guinea waters was arrested. Three of the people in the boat were tortured to death, including a woman. The Equatorial Guinea police after killing them placed guns on their bodies, took photographs and branded them militants,” he stated.
In a press statement, the mariners said: “The reason for the current assault is unknown, but information gathered immediately after the assault has it that a group of persons went to the Malabo prison located inside the Presidential Villa to forcefully free some white men jailed as a result of their involvement in a coup plot about five years ago. We have nothing to do with coup plots and none of our members was involved in the prison attack or militancy of any kind.” Nnani further said that one Affiong Mark Etim, from Esit Eket Local Government Area in Akwa Ibom State had died in detention while her husband, Etim Mark Etim was still being held. Nnani said the Nigeria/Malabo Boat Operators Association would seek redress at the African Court of Justice for the violation of their rights. He put the value of the boats and engines seized at over N200, 000,000 million, and demanded $100 million as damages to both the boat owners and the detainees. They demanded from the government of Equatorial Guinea the following, release of the remaining 104 Nigerians that they are detaining, along with their travelling documents, release of 11 boats, complete with all equipment and accessories, refund of CFA 200, 000, 000 million which the Equatorial Guinea police, Navy and Army removed from our boats, which they acknowledged only CFA 54 million, release 15 corpses of Nigerians they killed for proper burial in Nigeria, and payment of $10 million damages to the boat owners and detainees.