"Yarl's Wood Detention Custody Officers (DCOs) came for us at 2:00am this morning, Emmanuel (aged 15 suffers from Sickle cell anaemia) was in bed sick. I told the DCOs he was too ill to fly. They brought in a male nurse from Yarl's Wood Health Care who examined Emmanuel and said he "was fit to fly".

The DCOs asked me to get Emmanuel out of bed, I refused; they said if I didn't get him up they would fetch a wheelchair, I didn't and they brought in a wheelchair. They asked me to put him in it, I refused. The DCOs lifted Emmanuel out of the bed and put him into the wheelchair and we were all taken down to reception.

There were several escorts waiting and a medical escort, the medical escort examined Emmanuel and said he was "not fit to fly", and that the removal could not go ahead. And that he was not sure that the carrier had been told they would be carrying a Sickle cell suffer and would have the right medical equipment on board and this would have to be sorted out if there was to another flight.

Why they attempted to remove us I do not know, our solicitors informed us yesterday afternoon that they had obtained an injunction and the removal was legally stayed."

Many thanks to all who faxed/emailed Airline & Home Office yesterday.

Helen Laolu-Balogun

Background: Helen Laolu-Balogun and children
 http://www.ncadc.org.uk/archives/filed%20newszines/newszine91/HelenLaolu-Balogun.html