The House of Representatives ad-hoc committee probing the death of a Nigerian, Mr. Osamuyi Akpitanhi, has summoned the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chief Ojo Maduekwe, to appear before it on Tuesday on his ministry’s visit to Spain over the matter.
Maduekwe’s summon followed the visit of the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Hakeem Baba, to Spain over the death of the Nigerian.
The Chairman of the House Ad-hoc Panel probing the death, Mr. Henry Dickson, disclosed this on Sunday to our correspondent in a telephone interview.
The Spanish Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Angel Losada, had earlier assured the panel that his country was investigating Akpitanhi’s death in order to bring the culprits to book.
Akpitanhi’s death had generated a diplomatic row between Nigeria and Spain. The deceased, who hailed from Edo State, reportedly died on June 9, aboard an Iberian plane, as he was gagged while being deported.
Dickson said, “We are about to submit the committee’s report to the House and we feel that the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chief Ojo Maduekwe, should appear before the committee to tell us what his ministry discovered during its July mission to Spain.
“The committee also sent one of its members to Spain over the matter. What we will gather from the minister will form part of our report to be submitted to the House this week.”
Others, who had appeared before the Dickson’s-led seven-man panel included the Director of Legal Services, National Human Rights Commission, Mr. Zacchaeus Sebanjo, and the parents of Osamuyi, Mr. Jacob and Vera Akpitanhi.
A Nigerian journalist on board the Iberian airline with the deceased gave an account of how he died. “His hands were tied and his mouth gagged. He was put into a sack and taken to the airport for onward deportation to Nigeria.
“Shortly after the Iberian airline was airborne, its officials discovered that the young man they wanted to deport had died and pandemonium broke out in the plane and this forced the flight to return to Madrid.
“They took the corpse to a small village in Madrid and the Spanish authorities are still holding the corpse.”
Parents of the deceased told the committee that they wanted adequate compensation for the death of their breadwinner.
By Chiawo Nwankwo, Abuja
The Punch
Monday, September 10, 2007
