BringBackOurBrothers: Plea from Incarcerated Nigerians Abroad

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Members of the fresh start Youth Foundation led by its National Coordinator, Barr. Chidi Ujoatumba (standing Left on black Jacket), on June ninth at the Unity Fountain capital of Nigeria protested the continual immurement of Nigerians in Indonesia Prisons. 

Barr. Ujoatumba said the essence of the rally was to spur immediate response from our government to the decision of the many Nigerians languishing in jail abroad particularly in Asian countries however Indonesia especially and to effect the jail Swap Agreement reached by the Nigeria government. See the official letter from cluster of incarcerated Nigerians in jail sent to President Jonathan after the break.

Below is a letter from the prisoners in Indonesia to Pres. Jonathan through the Embassy of Nigeria in Jakarta, Signed by John Sabastine Edeh and made available to Fresh Start Youth Foundation.

Mr President,

Through,

The Embassy of Nigeria in Jakarta

JI, DENPASAR RAYA BLOK A.13 NO. 3
KUNINGAN TIMUR  P.O.BOX 3649
JAKARTA SELATAN, 12950, INDONESIA

Sir,

PLEA FROM INCARCERATED NIGERIANS IN INDONESIA PRISONS

This is a plea from a deep rooted agony in the heart of a group of Nigerian citizens held in Indonesian prisons.

Sir, it has been a long time now we have been looking for rescue from our Nigerian Government. This has become so pressing because of the ordeal we have been forced to go through, which is beyond what the Embassy alone can handle.

Most of us have been locked away in the demeaning jails of Indonesian Government, it has thus been tortuous years of topsy-turvydom which has become the nature of our case. We were wrongly accused of breaching various Indonesian laws.

This therefore is a pure conjecture based on supposition and innuendos as most of us are decent Nigerian business men doing legal bussines/job in the country.

The Indonesian Government has thought otherwise unfortunately and had decided to string us go through difficult travails.

Thus, the Foreign affairs Ministry and Embassy has done much in trying to repatriate Nigerian prisoners languishing in China and Asia pacific prisons in particular through the Nigerian government’s Federal Transfer Agreement (PTA) signed between Nigeria and some countries like China, Thailand, UK, India etc, but the Nigeria Embassy here in Indonesia have been telling us that because the Indonesia Government dont have there citizen in Nigeria prison that is why it has been difficult for us.

Sir, we are sure we have not been forgotten to die in vain as we still miss our dear country and lovely family/friends. We are therefore appealing to decency of your heart to intervene and save us from the murder-bent pursuit of Indonesian prison authorities. We know sir that Nigerian government can do well in extending the treaty with Indonesian government concerning Nigerians in the nation’s prisons as it was done in other countries. 

Sir, we ask that you extend this same pertinent gesture to us as we are languishing away in the Indonesian prisons, because a change in this present dispensation in few months coming will have an adverse effect on our chance of actualizing this goal of bringing us home even when most of us did nothing to be here. 

Mr President, we also pray fervently, for peace in our dear country back home because weare aware of the security and leadership challenges being faced by your government. But sir, we hold your kindness dear to our hearts, we know that our plea will not fall on deaf ears as we await the urgent intervention of the dutiful office of the Nigerian government.

Thank you for your anticipated intervention.

Yours fellow compatriot,

John SabastineEdeh

representing

Unjustly incarcerated Nigerian citizens

 

Photos: Wale Elekolusi.