Over 300 Nigerians Illegally Arrested, Languishing In Italian Prisons– Edo Ex-Commissioner

Osaze Osemwingie-Ero, a former Edo State Commissioner for Arts, Tradition, Tourism and Diaspora Affairs, has cried out concerning the plight of over 300 Nigerian youths ‘illegally’ detained in Italian prisons for contrived prices on mafia-related offences.

At a gathering with officers of the Nigerians in Diaspora Fee (NIDCOM), Mr Osemwingie-Ero disclosed that he realized concerning the plight of the harmless younger Nigerians throughout his wrongful detention in Italy.

In keeping with the previous commissioner, the younger Nigerians are held in Italian most prisons as a result of they don’t have the sources to entry an unbiased lawyer.

He stated the prosecutors in Italy have been manipulating the justice system towards Nigerians, including that it grew to become clear to him that “he was a sufferer of racial discrimination, and manipulation of the Italian Justice System by a really corrupt prosecutor – Dr Stephano Casano”.

Narrating briefly his ordeal in Italy, Osemwingie-Ero stated when he interviewed different Nigerians who have been incarcerated for prices just like these levelled towards him, it was found {that a} sure ‘Inexperienced Bible’ and solid papers that have been introduced up as proof towards the commissioner, was the identical proof put ahead towards the others in custody.

Connecting Flight, Article 416 and the Inexperienced Bible

When in 2019, Osemwingie-Ero was getting aboard a connecting flight from Amsterdam to Germany, he might by no means have recognized that his temporary journey would turn out to be an Odyssey Journey of 18 months in an Italian jail, for a criminal offense he knew nothing about.

He was to satisfy with Yusuf Tuggar, the then Nigerian Ambassador to Germany, and the enterprise was merely – the Benin Artifacts Marketing campaign.

On the airport, security operatives picked him up, and swiftly, he was accused of being a member of what the Italian prosecutors referred to as the ‘Nigerian Mafia’.

Article 416 Bis of the Italian Prison Code outlines what a Mafia-type group is and the punishment for perpetrators of those sorts of crimes.

In keeping with the previous commissioner, it’s upon article 416 that many Nigerians are being detained in Italy, with no stable proof of any crime dedicated.

Enters then a solid handbook referred to as the Inexperienced Bible.

Osemwingie-Ero stated in a bid so as to add flesh to their accusations, the Italians produced in courtroom, an proof generally known as the Inexperienced Bible, which has been used to convict many Nigerians, particularly those that had no qualitative authorized illustration.

“I made a decision to do the lengthy trial, the place the prosecutor was compelled to deliver the proof that he had towards me or towards the Nigerian affiliation. Just for him to provide a forge handbook that he referred to as the Inexperienced Bible, which they’ve used to convict a whole lot of Nigerians over 200 Nigerians in Italy,” Osemwingie-Ero narrated.

He and his legal professionals completely went by the Inexperienced Bible and found myriads of discrepancies.

“For instance, web page 14 of that so referred to as Inexperienced Bible, paragraph 3 acknowledged that ‘we the prison group’ contain in A-Z have been there; and I informed the decide that I’ve by no means seen a corporation that may write of their handbook that they’re a prison group.

“On web page 31, 32 and 33 of that so referred to as Inexperienced Bible, we’ve a 2017 occasion of the communique of the Inexperienced Circuit Affiliation in Asaba in that ebook whereas on web page 51 of that so referred to as Inexperienced Bible, it stated this ebook was written in 1978 by College of Benin college students and I stated, how can we’ve a communique of 2017 occasion inside a ebook that was written in 1978,” the previous commissioner identified.

Attraction for younger Nigerians unjustly detained

Mr Osemwingie-Ero referred to as for the collaboration of all stakeholders together with the Federal Ministry of Overseas Affairs, the Nigerians in Diaspora Fee and the media, amongst others to make sure the discharge of Nigerians unjustly detained in Italy, a few of them going through as much as 140years in jail.

“Whereas I used to be there on the twenty eighth of October, 70 Nigerians have been arrested for a similar Mafia associated offences and the one factor they confirmed on the tv was a kitchen knife as a proof of proof. In the meantime, they nonetheless use this text 416 bis of the Italian Mafia Prison Code.

“On the twenty sixth of September whereas I used to be nonetheless in jail, 20 Nigerians have been convicted and sentenced to 140years in jail, they have been convicted with this similar solid Inexperienced Bible, I’ve a replica of it, this similar Inexperienced Bible was what they used, and in the event you google Torino Chronicle of September 26, 2020 (web page 8), you will notice it there clearly.

“Their attraction is developing on the twentieth of September this 12 months, after two years in jail, most safety in Italy. The 70 Nigerians that have been arrested, their trial is beginning on the seventeenth of September this 12 months as effectively.

“I’m conscious as a result of I stored interacting with them, figuring out extra concerning the case earlier than I used to be launched on the twenty ninth of Might.”

In keeping with him, his launch was by God’s grace, including that it price him some huge cash to get good authorized illustration which these other Nigerians shouldn’t have for the time being.

Osemwingie-Ero who stated he made a promise that he was going to create consciousness for the discharge of these harmless Nigerians, expressed disappointment in ‘the very fact’ that he didn’t get the assist that he anticipated from the Nigerian authorities.

He defined that his then boss Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State referred to as the Minister of Overseas Affairs to inform him of the Commissioner’s arrest and nothing was achieved to comply with up the case.

“If that would occur to me, you may think about the destiny of odd Nigerians?” Osemwingie-Ero requested.

Turning the main target away from his plight in Italy, the previous commissioner informed the Chairman/CEO of NIDCOM, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, that he had come to inform the Fee of the predicaments of these Nigerians languishing in jail, held beneath article 416 bis of the Italian Mafia Prison Code with none single proof of these crimes dedicated.

On the subsequent step of his advocacy, Osemwingie-Ero stated he alongside his family and friends members will maintain a protest subsequent week, in entrance of the Italian Embassy, to let the world know “of the injustice that’s being meted on us and people harmless Nigerians in jail”.

In response to the ordeal he had narrated, Hon Dabiri-Erewa commiserated with the previous Edo State Commissioner for Arts, Tradition, Tourism and Diaspora Affairs.

The NIDCOM CEO whereas emphasizing that key thing at the moment is the plight of Nigerians who the commissioner met within the Italian jail, defined that step one can be to take up the case with the Lawyer Normal’s workplace, in addition to the Ministry of Overseas Affairs.

Ms. Dabiri-Erewa stated there are lots of instances of this nature that the AGF, Abubakar Malami handles, and that this case shall be handled with the urgency that it deserves.

“Certainly if there are such a lot of Nigerians in Italian prisons languishing for years, for an offence (they informed you and also you interacted with them) that they didn’t commit, we will’t simply watch and see that occur.”

In keeping with the NIDCOM Chairman, the Fee shall be thorough concerning the case, including that each authorized avenue shall be explored.