RABI AUWAL 22 1429 A.H.
THURSDAY MARCH 19 2009.
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Association tells Senate President
E/Guinea kills 12 Nigerians, jail 128From GAMBO KANNO FUBARA, Umuahia
More than 12 Nigerian businessmen in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea have allegedly been killed and 128 imprisoned by the government of that country for allegedly being members of the militant groups that recently attacked Malabo, the country’s capital city.
According to a letter of protest written to the Senate President, David Mark, by Nigeria/Malabo Boat Operators Association, dated March 10, 2009, and signed by the Secretary General of the association, Mr. Ebong Sunday, and made available to Daily Triumph in Umuahia, the Equatorial Guinea government also seized 11 boats including the merchandise in them.
The members of the association said in the letter that they trade in mattresses, foodstuff, rubber products and other items between Calabar and Malabo, adding that they are duly registered in both countries for the past 15 years.
Part of the letter reads: “The reason for the assault on us remains unknown, but we understand that a group of persons went to Malabo prisons, located inside their presidential villa to forcefully free some whitemen jailed as a result of their involvement in a coup plot about three years ago which resulted in the exchange of gun shots, and for which they turned around to allege that they were militants from Nigeria”.
The letter continued:“ We have nothing to do with the said coup plot, neither was any of our members involved in the prison attack or any militancy. Since then, the government in Malabo has subjected us to a lot of maltreatment leading to the death of many of our members”.
The letter also said that on February 17, 2009, the Equatorial Guinea police, navy and customs swooped on 68 Nigerian crew men on the beach and other Nigerians found on the streets of Malabo and detained them at their Central Police Station, adding that three persons were instantly killed in the process.
The traders urged the federal government, through the Senate President, not to allow the Equatorial Guinea government to punish innocent Nigerians who they said knew nothing about any security breach in the country.
The traders, who urged the Senate President to treat the matter as urgent, also called on him to bring peace to Nigerians in their troubled times.
