Human Rights activist and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana has accused former president Yahya Jammeh of the Gambia of ordering the illegal execution over 50 persons, including nine Nigerians.
Falana, in a statement on Thursday, called on the families of nine Nigerians executed in 2005 to seek justice for the illegal action, adding that his firm was able to establish the identity of one of the Nigerians.
The statement read: “On July 21, 2005, the Gambian Navy seized a boat conveying 58 immigrants, including 9 Nigerians, 40 Ghanaians, 3 Senegaleze, 3 Sierra Leoneans and 2 Togolese sailing towards a fishing vessel anchored on the high sea to stowaway to Europe.
“Apart from two Ghanaian nationals who were released to a Ghanaian Government Delegation another Ghanaian escaped from the custody of the Navy.
“The remaining 55 immigrants were illegally executed on the orders of the “brutal regime of Mr. Yayah Jameh, former President of Gambia.
”In the investigation conducted by our law firm into the killings it has been established that the 9 Nigerians involved were travelling with their passports. However, the Nigerian Community in Senegal confirmed the identity of one of the massacred Nigerian immigrants. The details are:-
“Name: Omozemoje Paul Enagameh
Passport No: A1548206
Place of Birth: Lagos
Date of Birth: 9th December 1976.”
Falana however commended the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Geoffrey Onyeama for providing vital information in the investigation, Falana, on behalf of his firm.
He stressed that family members of the nine Nigerians that were “illegally executed” have an opportunity to seek redress in the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission currently sitting in Banjil, the Gambia.
