A coalition of civil society groups codenamed ‘OurMumuDonDo,’ led by musician, Charles Oputa, also known as Charly Boy, occupied the Embassy of the Arab Republic of Libya, in Abuja, to demand an end to ignoble acts on Africans, particularly, Nigerians being trafficked through the country.
The group, ‘OurMumuDonDo,’ comprises Concerned Nigerians; the Foundation for True Freedom and Good Leadership; Public Lawyers League and the Campaign for Democracy.
The coalition’s protest was necessitated by reports that some Nigerians were allegedly sold off for $400 in Libya.
There was no official reaction from the embassy as at press time.
A member of the group told Daily Sun that the embassy was duly informed about the planned demonstration, but chose to stay away.
The Federal Government, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, had condemned the act of auctioning migrants and that it would continue to investigate the media reports for appropriate action.
The protest, which started at 9:44am, yesterday, saw scores of policemen at the embassy, ostensibly to forestall breakdown of law and order.
The coalition said it was not protesting against the Libyan government but was rather, standing in solidarity with the Libyan government, to put an end to the slave market and trafficking in the country.
Deji Adeyanju, the first to speak on behalf of the coalition, said they were told that fellow countrymen were being sold for less than $400, an amount of money he said, was less than the price of a phone.
“We are here because of the level of barbarism that is going on there. We are being told that fellow countrymen are being sold for less than $400.
“That is quite less than the price of an iPhone because an iPhone goes for as much as $1,000; maybe a BlackBerry phone. So, if our brothers and sisters can be sold for $400, then, what does that say about our humanity? Not just as a people, but as a continent, what does that say about us?” Adeyanju queried.
On his part, Oputa said he is very proud of the exceptional Nigerian youths who have been calling out government in all directions and who have been asking questions and trying to hold the leadership of the country accountable.
Oputa went down memory lane and said the issue of human trafficking through Libya, is as old as 12 years ago, when he was involved in a documentary, as a producer on ‘Elope to Europe.’
“Fifteen years ago, I was part of that project where we traced the exodus of Nigerian youths leaving from their home country, through the desert, through the Mediterranean, half of dem dey die dere.
“But every year, the number of people fleeing from their Fatherland keeps increasing. So, dis problem no be today,” Oputa said.
|Sun